


Of Phantoms and Daffodils

by MystTheNerd



Category: Persona 5
Genre: ADHD Character, Alternate Universe - Arcana Swap (Persona), Autistic Character, Dissociation, F/F, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, M/M, Non-binary character, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Role Reversal, Roleswap, Slow Burn, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2019-08-28 11:19:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 96,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16722372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MystTheNerd/pseuds/MystTheNerd
Summary: Daffodils symbolize new beginnings, rebirth, and eternal life.The world is rapidly changing, for better or for worse. With an assault charge and a year's worth of probation now on her back, Haru Okumura has no other choice but to make the most of the coming months. Whether that time is spent becoming a vigilante with a group of fellow students or not is beside the point, but Haru has a feeling that this year will be anything but ordinary.ON HIATUS UNTIL SEPTEMBER.





	1. Anemone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The_Capslock_Queen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Capslock_Queen/gifts).



> Hey there. 
> 
> This is the first time I've posted anything on here in about three years. My fandoms have changed, but I still love some good ol' roleswaps. Anyways, welcome to this fic. I really wanted to write something that I enjoyed developing, so here it is! I'm going to try to update whenever I can, so hopefully that doesn't mean I'll write two chapters and then drop this whole thing. I really do love this game, and I want to write something special for it.
> 
> Without further ado, behold!

She's falling, falling, falling. She hits the ground before she realizes that she needs to catch herself. 

The floor is  _cold_ , and it sends a shiver throughout her entire body. Her vision is swimming, but what else is new?

She lets out a gasp when water is splashed over her.

Her clothes are soaked. Everything is heavy, and her hair is sticking to her face now. 

Why is she here again?

A clipboard is shoved into her face. What's she supposed to do with this? A pen is shoved into her hand, and the message still remains unclear. Do they want her to write something?

Her head is too cloudy right now from all of the needles that have been stabbed into her arm. Every time the fog has ebbed away, another thin sliver of metal was put in her arm and a burning liquid was shot in.

Her arm is sore. It burns.

"... fuckin' kid... write... name..." She can barely even understand the man, but the word "name" is decipherable, so she clumsily writes her name on the dotted line. Haru Okumura, if she recalls correctly. The man snatches it from her hands, and suddenly there's a kick to her stomach that's knocking all of the wind out of her.

She's curled into a ball on the floor when she distantly recognizes a blinking red light in the corner of the room. A camera?

The man follows her line of sight, and a loud, disruptive laugh shatters her mind and reverberates through the shards. She weakly moves her hands towards her ears but receives another kick to the stomach for that. She clenches her teeth and squeezes her eyes shut. 

"Oku... Shit... you killed..." The man is trying to speak to her again, but it can't be helped if she's too fucked up to really understand what he's trying to say. He’s looking down at the clipboard she’s just signed. He appears shocked.

She's suddenly on her feet as a pair of rough hands drag her up and force her to look into the eyes of the offender. Her eyes lock with gleaming yellow that shift back to normal instantly, and her face pales. He throws her back, and she barely manages to stay standing.

Her head is all sorts of jumbled up, but she isn't going to surrender that easily. Especially when she is starting to gain her vision back.

But... What is with his eyes?

Her legs are screaming for her to sit down, but she isn't going to do that right now. She instead glares fiercely at the man and takes a step towards him. Almost instantly someone stomps the back of her knees and forces her down.

She forgets to brace herself.

Her head slams on the ground, and suddenly her vision is spotted in black and the voices become distant once more.

She’s definitely bleeding, if the warm liquid lazily drizzling from her nose is anything to go by.

Additionally, the world is now in indistinguishable shapes and sizes as her glasses have been abandoned somewhere on the floor.

She blindly paws for them but stops when she hears the loud and disruptive crunch of plastic and glass.

"Brat..." Is all the man says, and the door suddenly opens in a flurry of motion. She looks in the direction of it and makes out the form of a new person. She knows him. But how? How the hell does she know him? She can’t even see his face, and yet she has a feeling she does.

"...Out." The man says, and the officers obediently leave. This man must be influential in some way. He doesn't look especially... out there? Well, as far as she can tell without her glasses. As he gets closer, his form finally sharpens, and she can see him far more clearly. He’s a middle-aged man with a sadly receding hairline and a pair of steel grey eyes that stare down at her. 

He holds out a hand and helps her up. Just about everything hurts, but otherwise she has no real problem getting to the chair. She unceremoniously sits down, laying her head down on the table. Why is she here again?

A snap of fingers brings her back to reality, and the fog in her head disperses ever so casually. 

"I didn’t expect to see you here. Haru Okumura. That’s your real name, right? You’re the leader of the Phantom Thieves?” Is she? She isn't quite sure. Nonetheless, he’s sliding a picture up to her, and yeah, that's a picture of her. She can't deny that. So, she nods in affirmation. Now what? How does he know her, anyhow?

The man's mouth sets into a stern straight line, and he sighs. "You've got a long list of crimes. But, either way, I'm going to be your prosecutor. My name is Sojiro Sakura." He says, and it clicks. She realizes how she knows him, and suddenly she feels even more on edge. 

"I know it’s going to be a little hazy for a while. Those bastards pumped you full of who knows what. I have no idea how you’re even conscious. Nonetheless, I'm going to need you to tell me everything from start to finish. We have a limited time." Sojiro says, and the creatures in the back of Haru's mind screech in protest. 

“ _No,”_  They all cry, enveloping her in a sense of dread,  _“W _e can't trust him. We can trust no one other than ourselves. We are liberation. We are rebellion. We are–”__ Sojiro's eyes are on her, but not in an uncomfortable sense.

He's quietly waiting for her to respond, as she definitely should. She squeezes her eyes shut and places a hand to her temple.  _Stop._  Is all she can think, and suddenly the hivemind of voices is gone, leaving her alone with a man she barely knows.

Haru has to trust him, despite what  _they_ think. She has nobody else  _but_  this man to save her, and damn her if she isn't going to at least try to set the record straight. She has to, if she wants to at least get out of here alive. 

She lets out a deep breath, opens her eyes, and nods slowly. She'll do it. He looks pleased.

“Alright, good.” He says and pulls out a manila folder. He opens it to show the picture of a man with curly black hair and a cocky grin that makes Haru’s blood boil for some reason. She knows that man, but it’s still foggy.

“The Phantom Thieves are believed to have started their work back in April. The first person to receive a “Calling Card” was this man, Suguru Kamoshida.” Sojiro continues, and Haru clenches her fists. Her face flushes with anger. Yes, now she remembers. The fog has cleared for right now, and the previous months become as clear as day.

“His crimes were absolutely disgusting. From what I understand, you became involved in a conflict with him during your second week of school. I want you to start your story there. How did your first week begin?” He asks, and then motions for her to start.

So, she does.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

The sun has yet to even rise when Haru leaves her home. The paparazzi are not here to take pictures of the Okumura heiress leaving with two suitcases and a basket that is veiled in a clear plastic wrap of sorts.

She doesn’t feel like herself. Her curly hair has been chopped above her chin, and her contact lenses have been hidden by her father. Therefore, she has no other choice but to wear glasses.

Speaking of her father, she knows he is watching her leave from his room, and when she turns back, she sees the curtain draw back, and his stern face disappears from her view.

Maybe there’s a positive to this whole situation. Her father already called off her engagement to Sugimura. She smiles at the thought. There’s also the possibility that she could make friends when she got to her new school, and her odds were only increased now that she wouldn’t have her father breathing down her neck. The private academy she was previously attending expelled her as soon as… Well, her father took care of it.

A black car driven by one of her father’s employees pulls up, and she silently waits for the driver to get out. The man is young, but his face is pale, and she can see how his hands tremble in trepidation and his eyes stay close to the ground. In the back of her mind, the naïve side to her idly wonders why. But, she’s no stranger to how her father treats his employees. The young man is probably exhausted from overwork, and he most likely fears what she has to say to him.

He takes her suitcases without a word and sets them in the back of the car with so much care that she doubts the lining of the trunk has even been disrupted. It’s as if the cases are floating. He moves to take the basket that she now holds in her arms but stops when she hugs it close to her chest.

He bows his head in a silent apology and throws the trunk shut. He then opens the door for her, and Haru sets the basket on the middle seat and sits in the seat next to it. She fastens a seatbelt around the basket as a child would with a precious toy, and finally decides to fasten her own.

Haru looks up when the man opens his door and slams it shut after him. The car rocks with the impact and the car starts with a steady whir. The man grips the steering wheel with white knuckles.

He seems to be waiting for something.

A command, most likely.

“The subway station, please.” She finally says, voice soft and hardly decipherable above the purr of the engine. Yet, he understands. He shifts the gear stick down and begins to drive.

The familiar mansions of neighbors and her father’s business partners go by in a blur until it finally shifts into residential areas. Normal little houses that sharply contrast with the darkness of the car.

Haru is unhappy to see all of these houses going by, but only because it means she’s straying further and further away from a familiar place. From this point forward, she’s no longer going to be familiar with her surroundings.

Everything will be new, and she hates to admit that.

She hates this entire situation.

Even if she’ll have new opportunities, there’s still the possibility of _something_ awful happening while she’s away.

The sun is just beginning to peek over the horizon when she gets to the subway station. The car stops abruptly and snaps Haru out of her daydreaming.

The man has already left the car and is popping open the trunk to get her bags. She unbuckles the seatbelts of both her seat and the one that had secured the basket.

She picks off a piece of lint that had somehow gotten on it.

When Haru’s door is opened, she politely steps out and sets the basket on one of the suitcases. She turns back to the man, who bows to her shakily. Haru smiles softly. “Thank you.” She finally says with a bow of her head. The man flinches.

And then, she’s alone. The man is gone, the wheels of what she now assumes is his car screech against the concrete and leave a trail of thick smoke behind.

Haru lets out a short sigh and goes down into the subway station. She swipes her brand-new pass, and boards the train that will be going all the way to Shibuya. From there she’ll transfer to a train heading to Yongen-Jaya. Then, to her temporary guardian’s residence.

She may or may not have dozed off as soon as she got onto her train, but at least she wakes up when more people get on the train. She notices that she’s surrounded by people of all ages, and some may or may not be glaring over at her and her basket.

They can’t complain, her suitcases are in the overhead. She isn’t taking up that much space. Nonetheless, she draws her legs up to the basket anyways, freeing up hardly any space.

Yet, the space is quickly taken up by a woman wearing a grey business suit. It’s Sunday, and she’s working? That must be rough. She has black hair that’s cut to her chin and dark brown eyes. She appears exhausted. A short stack of papers is in her hands, and Haru can see that they appear to be a mix of flyers and typed-out paragraphs.

Perhaps the woman is making a speech?

Said woman seems to notice that she’s being stared at, because she looks down at Haru. Haru averts her eyes from the woman and looks back down at the basket.

She really hopes he’ll like it.

The intercom drones that Shibuya station is coming up and interrupts Haru from her thoughts, so she stands up and bumps the woman as she reaches for her things. All she gets is a passive-aggressive glare. Haru says nothing, instead staring right back with an indifferent expression. The train stops, and Haru finishes grabbing her things.

She smooths down her black blazer and regrips her suitcases, looping her arm around the basket’s handle. As she steps into the station, she stops by a pillar to check her phone for her father’s previous instructions.

From here, she is to board the train to Yongen-Jaya. Okay, but where is that? She asks for directions and receives a vague answer: “Next building over. Can’t miss it.” Well, she misses it. Because now she’s standing near Shibuya Crossing and still doesn’t know _where_ she’s supposed to be going.

Her phone buzzes, and she carefully rearranges how she’s holding everything to check it. She is met with the strange insignia of a red eye with a black star as the pupil. It looks like some sort of occult shit that her classmates back at the private school would get a huge kick out of.

She taps on it only to have it take up almost all of the space on her screen. The world shifts for a moment, and the people around her completely freeze. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

A screech from somewhere demands her attention immediately, and she whips around, trying to search for where it’s coming from. When she spots the source, her stomach drops.

In what she can only assume is the center of Shibuya Crossing is a terrifying pillar of blue flames. The blaze shoots into the sky, shattering clouds and darkening the sky. Haru watches in terror, unable to control her trembling form. She can’t breathe. Her lungs seem to have forgotten from mere shock.

 A mask emerges from the inferno, and a pair of yellow lights lock directly with her brown eyes. They stare at her expectantly.

 _“Zdravstvuyte. Poydem so mnoy.”_ A voice whispers into her mind, shaking her down to her core. It feels so familiar, yet so _unfamiliar_ at the same time. It feels like an old friend holding out a hand.

And with that thought, a skeletal hand reaches out from the pillar and points towards her. She doesn’t even understand what it has said, and yet she feels obligated to obey.

A chill goes down her spine. She feels her stomach churn, and against all her instincts, she takes a step forward.

But then the flames are gone with that feeling, and the people around her are moving once more. A few bump into her and knock her out of her trance. She’s still holding her phone when she looks down, and the icon of the strange app remains on her home screen.

Swallowing down her confusion, she looks around in bewilderment. She looks up to the sky and finds that it has returned to a clear blue.

In the middle of Shibuya is nothing but the masses of people commuting from one place to another.

What the _fuck?_

Haru holds her thumb down on the app and drags it down to the little trash bin. It disappears, and she lets out a breath she didn’t even realize she had been holding in. That couldn’t have been real.

She’s just hallucinating from stress. Yes, that has to be it. The strange little app is just a prank from one of her former friends.

She does eventually make it to the train she needs, and steps on. It isn’t as crowded as the previous one, which gives her more room to put her things. It’s a Sunday, around 2:00 pm, and she’s not going to the most populated sector. Most people spend their entire day in Shibuya, not a few hours.

Haru definitely wants to nod off again, but now the pit in her stomach that she’s been ignoring until now is coming back full force, and she doesn’t really know how to deal with it. What _was_ that thing?

She takes a deep breath, and frowns when she hears her stomach growl.

 _Shit._ She hasn’t had anything to eat. Maybe when she gets to her guardian’s place? He may offer her something.

With that thought in mind, she sits patiently at her seat and checks her phone once again. She checks over the address of her temporary guardian’s home, and nods. She’ll definitely need more directions.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

The next station comes up fairly quickly, and Haru’s ready to get off before the doors even open. She sways with the train as it stops and ignores how her face heats up in embarrassment when she stumbles.

With that, she’s in Yongen-Jaya. It’s a rather pretty place, even if it’s tiny. She turns down a small road and finds herself in a residential area with a few shops. She walks up to the first person she spots, an old man who’s cleaning his shop. It appears to have a few antiques inside.

The shop itself seems to be made from the man’s garage and makes for a perfect set-up. She steps in so he can hopefully notice her, and looks around. An old tv rests on a shelf. There are tin clasps in a mason jar. A retro gaming system sits on table next to her.

“Ah, hello there! You don’t look very familiar. You must be new, right?” He asks, and she smiles nervously with a nod. He lets out a short laugh and says, “No need to be shy. Take as much time as you need.”

“U-Um, actually, I needed some directions…” Haru admits sheepishly.

“Do, um, do you know where I can find Iwai Munehisa?” She finally asks after a pause, and watches as the man thinks.

“Ah, you must be the niece he mentioned. You’re going to go straight and then turn right on the first street you see. Go all the way down there. His place will be on the left.” The man tells her, and she tries to keep her confusion unapparent.

His _niece?_

“Thank you… Have a nice day, sir.” She mumbles with wave, and quickly rushes out.

Haru can feel the bundled-up anxiety in her starting to seep through as she walks down the road. Her suitcases are thunderous against the concrete and asking for attention. She ducks her head, trying to avoid the curious eyes of shopkeepers and their customers, and she speeds up her pace. They’re all staring at her. Staring at her glasses, her hair, her uniform, her – _fuck_.

When she reaches what she assumes is Iwai Munehisa’s home, she finds a cobblestone wall around it with a black iron gate. A buzzer sits next to the gate, and if she peeks in, she can see a normal door to a normal little house beyond said gate.

Haru presses the buzzer and receives no response. She frowns. She presses the buzzer once again. No response again.

“If you’re looking for Boss, he’s probably over at Café Dumas.” Haru can’t help but gasp in surprise as a voice suddenly comes up behind her. She whirls around only to come face to face with a mailman.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. If you go back down the road and turn right, you’re going to go down until you reach the next side street and turn left. The café is on the left. It has a nice little red awning over the doorway.” He explains, and Haru quietly nods. She doesn’t know if she should leave her things here or not.

Then again, she doesn’t know this area. It could have troublemakers that would get a kick out of stealing her things and watching her panic.

Thus, she decides to bring her loud suitcases with her as she quickly makes her way back to the old man’s shop and turns left.

It’s a narrow side street, and she worries that she may have knocked over two bikes on the way. Other than that, she manages to get to the little café without incident. Dumas… What a strange name.

There is a bell above the door that chimes as Haru steps in, carefully pulling her suitcases and the basket in after her. She sets the suitcases by the nearest booth and takes the basket in both of her arms once again.

A rather rugged-looking man leans his back against the café counter as he regards today’s newspaper. An elderly couple sit nearby in a booth, yet they’re more focused on the television in the corner.

The smell of coffee is strong in this place. Haru isn’t a fan of coffee, but she doesn’t mind the scent. Looking past the counter she can spot bags of coffee beans from multiple different companies that she recognizes as business partners of her father.

She also sees a collection of tea packets and mixes set up on a separate shelf. It isn’t as organized as the coffee bags, so she can only assume that it isn’t as common to have a customer with a craving for _tea._ Well, except for her. If she’s going to be staying with this Iwai man, she’ll probably need to work for him. It wouldn’t hurt to buy some more tea, right?

Maybe when they finally meet she can ask.

“This morning, a public-transit bus sped down the opposing lane with its passengers still inside! The people cannot rest until these situations are taken care of!” A reporter exclaims from the old tv. _Situations?_

As in, plural?

“Oh my… How frightening.” The old woman mutters, staring intently at the bright screen from her seat.

The rugged man doesn’t seem to be interested, instead chewing on a toothpick and writing something down on his newspaper.

“A shellfish that’s involved in the cultivation of pearls…” He mutters, tapping the eraser of the pencil against the paper.

“Oysters.” Haru answers without hesitation, and instantly all three have their eyes on her. She grimaces and protectively holds the basket a bit tighter to her chest.

The man turns the stick over in his mouth and thinks for a moment. He nods slowly, writes it down, and folds the paper.

“They did say that was today, didn’t they?” He mutters. The old couple look at one another and stand.

“We’d better get going. Thank you for the coffee, it’s always peaceful here. No need to worry about a car crashing through here.” The old man says with a chuckle, and the other looks obviously alarmed.

“What? What do you mean?” He demands with a frown. The old man shakes his head, motioning towards the television.

“These mental shutdowns that’ve been happening recently. It’s rather scary, but this back-alley place doesn’t need to worry about any trouble.” The old man explains with a smile, placing down a tip. A ‘hmph’ comes from the man, and he slaps his newspaper on the counter in a way that isn’t necessarily loud, but it does startle Haru.

“It’s none of my concern. See you.” He says, watching the two leave before directing his attention towards Haru. Instantly, the air in the room feels tense, and she can see how he’s staring at the basket.

“Four hours for a single damn cup of joe… Anyways, you’re Haru, right?” He asks, and she nods.

“U-Um, I’m sorry, but is Iwai-san here?” She asks nervously, relaxing her hold on the basket and instead gripping the handle. The man scowls and rolls his eyes.

“You’re lookin’ at him. And don’t be callin’ me Iwai-san. It makes me feel old. Just call me Boss. That, or, since your dad doesn’t want people knowin’ about this situation, you can call me uncle… I dunno, do whatever you want.” He replies with an even deeper scowl, something she didn’t realize was even possible.

Then he’s staring at the basket again expectantly, as if asking what the _hell_ she’s carrying the damn thing around for. She smiles nervously, fidgeting under his gaze.

“A-Ah, um, I’m sorry, uh, Iwai-sa- I-I mean, u-uncle?…  nyways, I-I made this… A-As a gift. I-It’s a basket of… W-Well, sweets and such… I-I didn’t q-quite know what you liked and-“ She stops at the man’s gaze, which is hard and calculating as he assesses the situation once more.

“I’m not a fan of sweets.” He finally says, and she stops smiling. She sags in defeat, and her grip noticeably loosens. He rolls his eyes and puts out a hand.

“Doesn’t mean I’m not gonna take it. It’s nice, even if you’re a delinquent. Which is why I’m still gonna keep my eye on you…” He trails off, eyeing the basket in her arms a bit closer. She hands it over, and he grunts. “Wow, this is some fancy stuff, right here. I know somebody who’ll like this.”

Haru beams, clasping her hands together in an attempt to do _something_ with them.

 “Alright, stop lookin’ at me like that. You probably won’t be too thrilled with where you’ll be staying. C’mon.” He then motions for her to follow, placing the basket on the counter.

He makes no motion to help her with her suitcases.

Rude.

She follows him to the back of the store, where a wooden stairway leads up to who knows where. Haru carefully retracts both of the handles of her suitcases and grabs them by their grips and heaves them up each stair.

Iwai is waiting for her at the top of the stairs, and she is presented with… Well, it isn’t what she expected, but it’s…

No, it’s dusty and a huge mess.

She can’t help the grimace that crosses her face.

“Be thankful. I don’t have room at my place, and… Well, this is the only space I have. Do whatever you need. The shop is still open, after all.” Iwai grumbles, leaving Haru to… whatever this place is.

This is really her room for the next year?

It’s filthy! There’s a heavy layer of dust on just about everything. She drags her finger against a table that’s to her right, and chokes when a cloud of dust trails afterward. When she looks at her finger, there’s a dark mark from just how much she had just dragged up. There are piles of junk in different corners of the room, but the spot she is the most concerned with is the bed in the corner.

It looks like a twin-size, so not as big as she’s accustomed to, but it’ll work. She’s tiny, and if she tries really hard, she won’t roll right off.

There’s also a paper-thin bedsheet that she hopes isn’t all she’s going to have for warmth. Then she notices a neatly folded pile of blankets wedged in the corner between the wall and the head of the bed.

Iwai comes back up to drop off a roll of garbage bags and a few other cleaning supplies, and she nods in a sign of silent thanks.

Taking the supplies and putting on a pair of plastic gloves that he had also provided, Haru gets to work.

She can’t be ungrateful, she reminds herself. It was by mere luck that this man knew one of her father’s acquaintances, who was some rather popular artist. Apparently, this acquaintance’s student visits the café often. Perhaps she would meet this student and thank him.

If it hadn’t been for that acquaintance, she wouldn’t be here. She would not be anywhere nice, quite frankly.

Her father would have made sure that she had suffered for risking his career just for… this. She didn’t like to think about what had happened.

It isn’t fair. It isn’t fair that this has to happen. She has to remind herself that this is for the greater good, but for who? Her? No, it’s better for her father and the one who got her into this situation.

It isn’t until she hears glass breaking that she realizes that she’s pushed something off of the little desk in the corner in her trance. She sweeps it up hastily and analyzes what exactly she broke.

It looks to be a paperweight of some sort, with a small piece of coral within it. It reminds her of an old dystopian novel; she smiles. The glass has shattered into many pieces, but not to the point where it can’t be repaired. Good.

There is a rack against the wall behind her, so she places the broken pieces on the shelf that is to her eye level. With a satisfied nod, she returns to work.

When Iwai comes up hours later to check on her and tell her that he’s heading out, he looks around at the room with wide eyes. He seems surprised that she actually did something. Perhaps it is the stereotypes of a snobby rich girl that make him falter, but he quickly regains his composure.

He regards the three trash bags near the staircase, which is where Haru has chosen to sit now. She sits with her legs in a ‘v’, and leans against one of the bags.

“Nice work. I was wonderin’ why it was so noisy up here. Happy to see you were usin’ your time wisely. Anyways, don’t stay up too late tonight. I have to drive you to your new school tomorrow and get that whole mess taken care of.” He says with an unhappy grimace to compliment his tone, which is anything but sunny.

She smiles instead of commenting, and nods.

“Thank you, Iw- Boss.” She corrects herself, pushing up her glasses and standing up to brush any dust off of her skirt.

He doesn’t react to her misstep, instead shrugging as if he could be doing something better with his time. “I gotta go. Make any wrong move, take anything outta that register, and you’re gone, got it? The fridge downstairs has a few things to eat in it, but I made you some curry for tonight. Don’t get used to it. This is one of the only times I’m doin’ it. See ya tomorrow, kid.” He then grabs two of the garbage bags and walks downstairs. A few moments later a bell rings, signaling his leave..

Did she say something wrong?

Well, it kind of made sense. She had a record, after all.

But it didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt at least a little bit.

The curry downstairs was fine, and she welcomed any form of nutrition after eating next to nothing the entire day, but she felt sick to her stomach.

Had she done something wrong?

It may have been the case, but Haru is beginning to not care as much. She is tired, and the little couch-bed sounds incredible. So, she quickly walks up the stairs. Looking to the table that sat right next to the staircase had a small, leather-bound journal. A note from Iwai sits on top of it.

_For your thoughts. Don’t write anything too personal, though. You never know who might read it. –Boss/uncle_

Haru can’t help but smile. It’s sweet, no matter how she looks at it. She previously thought that she may have already obliterated any hopes of becoming friends with the man, but perhaps that isn’t the case.

Her most prominent thought, however, is how the hell he managed to sneak the little journal here without her noticing? Perhaps it was when he was leaving? Or, maybe she had been so caught up in her anxieties that she had missed him coming back in and putting it there?

Then again, that was impossible. She was too alert these days to let anything slip past her. He probably had put it on the table when he came up to say goodbye for the day.

Either way, she can’t dwell on it now. She has to sleep.

So, placing her glasses on the small desk across from the foot of the bed and laying down on the small couch, Haru pulls the thin blanket over her body and does just that.

As Haru closes her eyes, she can’t help but note the soft melody of a wind chime outside. And, as she drifts off, she distantly wonders why the wind chimes begin to transform into the soft song of a piano.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The anemone flower is symbolic of a feeling of being forsaken. In both Greek mythology and Christianity, the red anemone specifically represents death or forsaken love. One of the other main meanings of the anemone is that of anticipation. Not only this, but the anemone encourages relaxation and tells us to enjoy the moment in order to take opportunities at the right time. In other words, it tells us to _take our time._
> 
> Translation: “Hello. Come with me.”
> 
> If you're wondering why I changed Leblanc's name, it has entirely to do with Haru.  
> So, Akira's persona is Arsene, right? And Arsene is based on Arsene Lupin, this bombin' gentleman thief from literature. We all know at least a little bit. Well, that whole series was written by this dude named Maurice Leblanc. So, Leblanc the café was named after the author of Arsene Lupin's books.  
> Milady, Haru's persona, was a character from The Three Musketeers. So, boom. I looked up the author, Alexandre Dumas, and bam, now the cafe is called Dumas. Besides, it just didn't feel right to have Iwai as our Hierophant and keep the name Leblanc. I wanted to put a fresh spin on it, yo.  
> Additionally, each chapter will have the name of a flower or herb that kind of represents the overall feel of that chapter. Anemones are really pretty, but they also hold a whole lot of symbolism, as seen above. I’ll have a summary of the chapter’s name meaning at the end of each, just to make sure everyone’s on the same page and such. One website could say a flower means joy while another says that the same flower means despair. So, yeah.  
> Also, daffodils! Yeah, it's in the description of the story, but I thought that they had the perfect meaning for this story. These kids are going to be reborn from their rebellion, yo, and I think it's going to be fun!  
> Also, a huge thanks to my beta! She’s amazing. She’s not even familiar with P5 and she agreed to do this. What a gal.  
> If you want to check her out, she's actually the person i dedicated this work to.


	2. Lotus

A piano’s song awakens Haru from her temporary rest, and instantly she knows that something is not quite right. A woman’s operatic voice echoes through her mind and snaps her out of her foggy haze. ****

The room is dark, but she can tell that the ceiling is made out of stone, not wood.

When she sits up, she can hear the strange clank of metal. She looks down to find that the sound is coming from her ankle, which has a ball and chain connected to it. She finds that around her wrists are manacles that rattle with each movement.

It is with this action that she realizes she isn’t in her school uniform, but a set of pinstripe rags.

In other words, an old prisoner’s garments.

Looking around her room, she realizes that it isn’t a room, but a cell. That… isn’t right.

Yet, it seems that she is indeed in a cell.

There’s also the fact that she can see everything in perfect detail despite not having her glasses on.

Standing up, Haru drags herself to the bars, where she can see that her cell is not the only one. There are multiple cells around her, yet all remain empty. In the middle of this circle of cells is a wooden desk on top of a lush blue rug. On the other side of the bars is a boy that appears her age.

He stands alone, right in front of her face. His hair is a strange, dark hue of blue, and his eyes are a bright yellow that stare right back at her. He is dressed in what appears to be a blue warden’s outfit.

He snaps his fingers in front of her face to get her attention.

“Pay close attention, inmate. My master wishes to speak with you.” His voice is soft and almost indifferent, but suddenly his face twists in annoyance, and he bangs a baton against one of the bars, “Consider it a privilege!”

Seeing as she really has no other choice, she silently nods.

When the boy moves out of the way, Haru puts a hand to her mouth in shock, and she can feel herself pale at the sight.

A creature sits at the desk in the center of the room. Its eyes do not look like eyes, but ping-pong balls with a single, miniscule dot for what she can only assume is a pupil. It has a nose that is similar in shape to some sort of stork or crane beak. It grins, humanlike teeth twisting grotesquely to stretch across its face. Her only real indication towards what it could really be is the tan color of its… skin, and grey tufts of hair (or is it fur?) that poke out around the back of its head.

It looks almost like a man, but it is a grotesque imitation.

The creature finally moves one of its arms, a stick-thin appendage no thicker than her two fingers, and it holds out a white, gloved hand in greeting.

“Welcome to my Velvet Room, trickster. Please, make yourself at home.” Its voice is far too deep and rumbles in its throat as the creature does a waving motion, referring to the cells around it. The thing patiently waits for a response from her, but she is unsure what response it’s looking for. It speaks with little to no change in expression, other than a small twitch in its lips.

It looks hungry, and the pinpoints in its eyes seem to flick around with every movement she makes to ensure that it retains direct eye contact.

The boy in the warden’s uniform glares at her, his yellow eyes blazing in rage.

“Wipe that look off your face! You have no right to plague my master’s eyes with that expression!” He orders, beating the baton against the bars of the cell once again.

The creature lets out a laugh, mouth unmoving as it does so, and places its hand under what she can only assume is its chin. Its grin widens in amusement.

 “Ah, hush, boy. This reaction is to be expected. Manners are imperative, you know,” he says to the teen, who seems to switch back to his calmer façade from before.

“Yes, of course. My apologies, master,” the boy amends, his arms going back to his side. He turns back towards the creature almost like a soldier, pivoting on his feet to make a quick and sharp movement.

“As said before, this is the Velvet Room. It exists between dream and reality, mind and matter… Only those who are bound by a contract are able to access this place. I am the master of this place. You shall call me Igor. Do not forget it.” Haru slowly nods. Its grin grows, and she finds herself taking a step back. The boy remains motionless, either unaware or indifferent at her movement.

“I am very surprised by the appearance of this place. This is representative of your heart, you see. The state of this place reflects the state of your own heart.  How very interesting… To think that it would manifest as a prison, of all things. You truly must be a “prisoner” of fate,” the creature explains, laying its long fingers on the desk and tapping the wooden surface. Suddenly, it blinks and shifts back, placing a hand back on its chin.

“In any case, there are matters that we must discuss that do indeed involve you. Your very life, actually.” It continues, and Haru frowns.

“I-If I may ask, ah, w-what sort of matters?” She hazards, nervously looking around at the room. Igor lets out a short chuckle.

“These matters are towards your rehabilitation. Your heart’s current state is not ideal. It threatens the very state of your being. In order to counteract this unusual occurrence, I shall be rehabilitating you. Rehabilitated toward freedom. Refuse, and you will most certainly turn towards the path of destruction, as others have decided to do.” Igor shakes its head, almost disappointed.

“I-Is this real? A-Are you serious?” Haru asks, and the boy snaps his head around to glare at her, but then the expression softens into indifference.

“This is indeed real, inmate. You are in a state of chaos, and it is imperative that you find yourself rehabilitated very soon,” the boy says calmly, turning the rest of his body towards her in a robotic pivot once again.

“Ah, how rude of me. This is your warden, Yuuki. I shall further explain his function at a far later time. For now, I simply request that you treat him with respect. That world of yours is in chaos. Corruption infects the very pillars of its existence,” Igor states simply, motioning towards the boy.

A bell suddenly echoes through the chamber.

“It seems you are about to awaken. We shall talk in the near future.”

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 _April 10_  
_Sunday_  
_Morning_  
_Dumas Café Attic_

Haru wakes with a start and shoots up, unable to control her breathing as she gasps for air.

For a moment, she has no idea why she’s reacting like this. It doesn’t seem quite right.

She can feel the sweat running down her face and shivers.

The room around her is still dark, but she can see a sliver of light peeking in from the pair of windows next to her bed. One is still open, and when she peeks out, she can see the wind chime that she heard just last night.

It sings a short note, and she recalls the blue room once again.

The boy with bright yellow eyes, yelling at her.

The creature staring into her soul, enjoying how she squirmed and panicked under its gaze.

Bile rises in the back of her throat at the thought of that creature. It couldn’t have been human. It _wasn’t_.

It called itself Igor, right?

What did it want from her?

A cold breeze sweeps in and brings her back to reality.

She hears the wind chime once more, and grimaces. No more of that. She slams the window shut and locks it, letting out a quiet sigh in relief.

She can’t hear the music anymore.

Haru lays back down on the bed and jumps to attention when her phone buzzes right next to her face. She’s perfectly fine without her glasses at the moment, holding her phone about a foot from her face.

She does not have any messages, but the app from yesterday is back.

The strange eye stares at her, encouraging her to use it once again. She shakes her head. No. Whatever happened yesterday, she has no intent of letting it repeat itself.

Haru realizes with sagged shoulders that that thought is essentially confirming that whatever had happened at Shibuya Crossing had been a reality, and she cannot escape that truth.

Whatever that monster had been, it had somehow come into existence because she had tapped this app.

She promptly drags the damned icon down into the trash and leaves her phone on her bed, so she can go downstairs. She wants to make herself something to eat or drink, whatever it took, to distract herself from her already chaotic morning.

She nearly forgets to slip on her glasses, which she had left on the desk across from the foot of her bed. That was until she realizes that the world, save for a few things that lay but five or so feet away from her, consist of nothing but foggy blobs and hints of impressions.

With her glasses, the world takes shape in sharp definition, and she feels safe enough to trek downstairs.

As she does so, a scent hits her nose and she frowns, quickening her pace to check what’s going on. Who was in the café? Had someone broken in? She didn’t know what she’d do if something like that happened.

Behind the counter is Iwai, who’s cooking up something. He’s dressed in a black dress shirt and grey slacks, accented by a black gecko keychain around one of the belt loops. He has a grey hat on, which hides his eyes from her view.

To protect himself from any possible stains, he has a black apron over his clothes. He’s got a toothpick in his mouth, seemingly a constant, if she really wants to go off her lack of knowledge.

She lets out a short sigh of relief and the tension leaves her shoulders.

He doesn’t seem to notice that she’s even there, seemingly in his own world as he cooks. The smell of curry finally becomes identifiable, and she smiles. Is this all he makes?

Well, at least it’s different from the overly-fantastic meals from home. This is simple. She wants to keep it simple.

At least for now, anyways.

“G’mornin’, kid. Good to see you took my advice.” Iwai greets, shocking her out of her thoughts and making her jolt. He hasn’t even looked up from his work, instead rationing out a good-sized plate of curry.

“G-Good morning, Boss…” She replies quietly, sitting down on one of the stools by the counter and noting the smell of coffee wafting through the air.

It’s then that she notices Iwai pouring coffee into a cup and placing said cup and a plate of curry in front of her.

“Eat up. We’ve gotta get to your school before ten.” He grumbles, walking over to the end of the counter and retrieving the newspaper he must have left.

He snaps his newspaper open in a rather fluid movement and sits down at the furthest seat, crossing his leg over his knee.

Haru eats in silence, barely listening to the old TV. She instead pays closer attention to the grumbles and huffs of Iwai as he turns the paper.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

It doesn’t take very long for Haru to eat and get ready. Within a half an hour she’s dressed in her school uniform and is ready to go. Iwai huffs out an “alright” and throws on a grey blazer, leading her out to the car parked by the small house she visited yesterday in her search for him.

The drive to Shujin Academy is uneventful, but Haru feels uneasy. Iwai’s fine, albeit obviously annoyed.

“Ugh, I can’t believe I gotta open the shop late,“ he mutters, slamming on the brakes suddenly and laying on the horn for a good five seconds when a car cuts in front of them.

Haru throws her hands out to stop herself from slamming her face into the glove compartment cover, but the seatbelt locks, and she can’t help but wheeze in surprise.

“Stupid damn drivers!” Iwai exclaims, and Haru is shocked to see the man do so. So far, the only emotions she’s really surveyed is indifference, mild surprise, and the constant disappointment and unhappiness that too far exceeds a man of his age.

For some reason, she hadn’t thought he could show any other emotion.

“Are you alright?” Iwai asks, eyes lazily looking over to her. She quietly nods, and he seems alright enough with the answer.

“Good. Can’t have you gettin’ hurt, what, with your father bein’ all important and everythin’. Speakin’ of, you can’t go by Okumura anymore. Not for the year, anyway.” The world seems to go out of focus, and Haru suddenly has a floaty sensation within her mind. A small smile crawls across her face.

_No longer an Okumura?_

“Don’t sound so excited, it’s only for the year. Your dad had your records changed so his name wouldn’t come up and your identity wouldn’t be exposed. It’d be a pain if people knew that Okumura Foods’ heiress was caught with a few assault charges,” Iwai replies, and Haru realizes that she said that aloud.

She’s absolutely ecstatic. No longer an Okumura. No longer associated with her father, no longer considered more important than her fellow students, no longer someone that the teachers will try to suck up to. She’s a normal girl, now.

“But, you can’t hide pictures of you. People might be able to connect the dots, and you really won’t be able to do anything if that happens. Either way, from this moment until next April, your name is Haru Iwai. I’m your father’s brother, you don’t know me that well due to livin’ so far from Shibuya, and your parents moved you away, so you’d hopefully learn some respect,” he explains, and Haru gently nods, hiding her giddy grin by directing her attention towards the window.

Her new, although temporary, life starts now.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 _April 10_  
_Sunday_  
_Daytime_  
_Shūjin Academy_

Shūjin Academy is a large school by the Aoyama-Itchome station, but it pales in comparison to the behemoth that was her former, private, all-girls school. Nonetheless, the monolith before her looms silently, challenging her to enter. She adjusts the strap to her bag and pushes up her glasses.

Challenge accepted.

She follows closely to Iwai, noticing students who are talking in groups on the first floor. She wonders why they’re here. There are large rolls of paper that are scattered across the hallway, paints and tins of markers close by. A few students seem to be working on them.

They pay little mind to Haru and Iwai, but some do regard them, if only for a moment.

The principal’s office is spacious, something she didn’t exactly think would be necessary. That is, until she sees the man.

The principal, whose name is Kobayakawa – if she’s reading the name plate on his desk correctly – is a round man who lacks a neck. It seems that his head melds into the rest of his body, save for a fat chin that practically draws a line between the two. His arms and legs are strangely skinny, as if all of the fat and excess of life has been directed towards the most obvious place for everyone to see. The man is bald with small, unintimidating dark eyes and a stern frown.

Compared to the abomination that is “Igor”, he’s mild. All she can wonder is how uncomfortable he must be in his own skin.

“Good morning, Iwai-san. I apologize for making you come all the way out here on a Sunday,” Kobayakawa greets, not bothering to acknowledge her as he turns his head and smiles amiably towards Iwai. Haru watches as Iwai shrugs, scratching the back of his neck.

“It’s whatever. I just wanna get this over with so I can get back to my shop.” Iwai pulls out paperwork from his blazer and hands it over to the egg. Kobayakawa doesn’t look like a man, after all. Just an egg with sticks for arms and legs. She manages not to snicker at that thought.

“Of course, of course. That’s very understandable. We’ll make sure to make this as brief as possible,” Kobayakawa replies with a short laugh that Haru can hear is fake. Being surrounded by adults all her life has made it far easier to identify a fake laugh.

The door opens behind them, and in walks a woman who is in her late twenties. The woman wears a dark green turtleneck, a grey blazer, and a jean skirt. Her hair, which is oddly silver, is tied back in a bun. Only a bit of her hair isn’t tied back, most likely having been missed, but it asymmetrically frames her face. She looks down at Haru, and Haru herself freezes at the sight of the woman’s blood red eyes.

Kobayakawa motions towards the woman, and starts, “Young lady, this is your homeroom teacher for the year. She will be the one you will go to if you need any help.”

The woman straightens out, rearranging the items in her arms and putting out a hand to Iwai and hesitating when she turns to Haru. Finally, she puts out her hand, and out comes a sigh. Her hand is ice cold to the touch.

“My name is Sae Niijima. You will treat me with the utmost respect if you wish to stay here. Consider your enrollment pure luck. Your former test scores and the prestigious private school you attended beforehand are your only saving graces. You’re lucky you got in, with your record and all. Count your blessings, stay under the radar, keep away from the delinquents, and you’ll manage to barely get by. If you get in trouble, you will be sent to the guidance counselor’s office. I doubt they will be very lenient with your situation, however.” She then releases Haru’s hand as if she has been burned.

“Yes, take that warning very seriously, Haru Iwai. You are on very thin ice at the moment. We only accept the best in this school. You dare to act up even once, and I will not hesitate in expelling you,” Kobayakawa warns, his tone resembling that of a parent scolding a small child. She frowns, and nods solemnly. She finds her fists clenching.

_Inhale, exhale._

_Slow down._

_Take your time._

“Yes, sir. Thank you for this opportunity,” she replies, managing to keep the underlying, ever-growing anger from showing through.

Sae looks her up and down and hits her shoulder with a small pile of papers and a card that shows her nervously smiling face. Haru takes it with a snap of the wrist, but otherwise keeps her growing temper in check.

Just wait just wait just _wait-_

“Ah, it seems that we forgot to go through a few bits of paperwork with you, Iwai-san!” Kobayakawa says suddenly, and Haru shakes her head. She didn’t expect to lose herself like that for a moment, and it slightly startles her.

Now that she’s back in her usual mindset, she can see how Iwai slumps his shoulders and rolls his eyes.

“Right, okay,” he sighs, looking to Haru. “You go wait outside. I won’t be too long. Take the car and you’re going right back from where you came from.” The warning is heeded as Haru slowly nods her head and grips the papers Sae gave her in one hand.

She leaves the office and heaves out an exasperated groan, trying not to crumple her papers.

Haru slips her ID into her bag and looks over her schedule. Simple enough. She’ll be able to manage.

She rolls her eyes and begrudgingly shoves the papers into her bag as well.

Iwai had told her to go wait outside, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t see what those kids had been up to, right? He’d probably take a while. Part of her tells her to just listen to what he told her, just like she had been taught to, but determines that no, she wants to satisfy her curiosity.

As she walks downstairs, she can hear the teens talking to one another. They seem to be louder than when she arrived.

“Okay, now, move it over! We want to welcome back everyone, not disappoint them with this sorry display!” A feminine voice shouts, and Haru nearly stops. That sounds _nothing_ like a second or third year, the voice is too high for that. As Haru descends down the last flight of stairs, she looks to the left and finds that same group of students are now putting up a banner.

She’s observing from the staircase, a good few feet away from the other students, watching as they balance on ladders to put their banner up.

“Alright, alright! Now, move it up a little bit!” that same voice shouts, and Haru’s eyes are instantly on a short girl with long, orange hair that’s wrapped up in a braid. Balanced on her nose are a pair of thick, square glasses. She has her arms crossed as she studies the struggling students, mouth turned downward in a frown. The girl takes a short step forward when it looks like a student is about to fall, but then she stops herself.

“Okay, now… Pin it. Tsuda-san, you have the tacks, right? Try not to move it at all.” she asks, and an older boy nods in affirmation. That draws a small smile from the girl, and she makes a square with her hands, looking through it.

“Ah, it’s perfect! Thanks for putting up with me…” The girl trails off with an awkward laugh, jogging over to help the other students get down from their ladders. She helps to hold it while they descend, and sheepishly offers a high-five once all of them are back on the ground.

The students hesitate, but reluctantly each give her a high-five. Then, they’re back to work, and the orange-haired girl is just standing there, as if she doesn’t quite know what to do next.

“Hey, Futaba, can you help us out and get some more supplies? We’re running out,” one girl asks, annoyed that the bespectacled girl who was just yelling at them is now standing in the middle of everything and doing absolutely nothing.

The girl – Futaba, Haru assumes – snaps to attention, and she nods with an apologetic smile. “Right, of course! Sorry, sorry… Ah, those are in the student council room, right?” Futaba asks the girl, and the older girl rolls her eyes.

“No, of course not. They’re in the courtyard. Obviously, they’re in the student council room, you dunce!” she starts sarcastically, switching to a harsher tone at the end. Futaba recoils as if she’s been burnt and fiddles with the end of her braid.

“Ah, um… right. Sorry for asking…” Futaba replies, turning on her heel and walking towards the stairwell, where Haru has been listening and watching from. Haru hadn’t quite been paying attention, but now the words of the other students are in crisp detail.

“I can’t believe that we’re stuck with a damn first year as the pres…”

“I know, right? She was probably picked because Kobayakawa is afraid of her dad and didn’t want to piss him off.”

“Can you imagine it? A kid trying to boss _us_ around?”

“Well, it isn’t your imagination.”

“Since when did someone like _her_ get in her head that she had the right?”

“Since when did a first year get to run the entire damn student body?”

“Stupid kid.”

“Stupid brat.”

“Stupid _bitch.”_

And then Futaba is running down the hallway at full speed, and Haru yelps as the smaller girl runs right into her as she swings herself to race up the stairs. Both fall back, but Haru grips onto the handle bar, staying on her feet, but almost transferring to a crouching position.

Haru offers a hand out to the smaller girl, who gratefully takes it and brushes off her skirt. She has yet to look up but starts talking as she raises her head to look at the other.

“Sorry about that! I wasn’t really- Oh.” Futaba stops herself mid-sentence, and Haru tilts her head with a confused smile.

The girl is frozen in what seems like fear for a few moments, but then she realizes that Haru notices this and awkwardly coughs into her hand and gives her a wobbly smile.

“Ah, as I was saying, I wasn’t, uh, paying much attention. Now, if you’ll excuse me-“ Futaba tries to push past, but Haru moves slightly to block her way.

“I-If it’s fine w-with you, I-I can h-help.” Haru stutters out, managing a small smile.

Futaba hesitates, her shoulders locking up and she frowns, but then she coughs into her hand again and shrugs in an attempt to seem indifferent. Instead, it comes off as _too_ much of an attempt, and Haru lets out a short sigh.

“Sure, why not? You’re new, right? It explains why you’re even here. Only student council is supposed to be here, aside from faculty and staff,” Futaba replies, maneuvering around Haru and climbing up the stairs. Haru follows after her, and jogs to catch up with the smaller.

“My name is Futaba Sakura, if you were wondering. I’m going to be a first year, but…” Futaba stops, and bites her lip. What exactly is she waiting for? Finally, she continues. “I’m… kind of the student council president now? Not the first, actually, the second, but… A first year? As the pres? It hasn’t happened in years.”

Haru nods, now walking even with the shorter, who is still rather tense as she occasionally glances towards the taller.

“T-That’s r-really cool! Y-You’re pretty, u-um, talented? I-I guess? S-Sorry, I d-don’t know you very w-well,” Haru manages, clenching her fists to keep herself from practically combusting from awkwardness.

Futaba risks a glance and releases a long sigh, tapping her fingers together as she thinks.

“A lot of people say that it’s because of my dad, but…” She stops herself, because now they’re standing at a pair of doors. Haru looks up and notices the sign that says “STUDENT COUNCIL CLASSROOM” right above. Futaba shifts on her feet, as if waiting for something, but then she elbows Haru out of the way and pushes one of the doors open and doesn’t wait for Haru to follow after.

Haru looks around the room, and notices just how neat everything is, sans the multitude of artistic supplies that lay in a chaotic manner on the table. There are unopened paint buckets, unused paint brushes, and unorderly rolls upon rolls of paper. Some of the paints are stacked up while others lay on their side, and Haru can’t help but wonder how much of a mess there would be if the tops were gone.

“Here, grab these ones.” Futaba orders, pointing at two of the buckets that are the only two that remain unaffected by the chaos, placed next to one another and the handles actually on top, unlike a few overturned buckets that are threatening to roll right off the surface.

Haru takes the two bucket handles and feels herself buckle a bit from the weight.

“Whoa there… Don’t tell me you can’t carry those, you’re a third year…” Futaba mutters, taking a handful of paintbrushes and one of the large rolls of paper.

Seeing as she’s closer to the door, Haru scoots over and uses her back to push open the door. Futaba gives her a small “thank you”, and then they’re walking back to the other students with little to no conversation.

The other students are all waiting, it seems, when they arrive on the first floor. They look ready to snap at her but stop themselves at the sight of Haru walking up with her.

She doesn’t quite blame them. She is rather tall, after all.

“Futaba, hurry up and get that over here! _You’re_ the one who insisted we do this,” the girl from earlier demands, and Haru frowns at the rude tone. Then again, perhaps it is to be expected. If she remembered correctly, her classmates had an unknown amount of hatred towards the first-years back at her old school.

“Well, it was very nice meeting you, Futaba-chan.” Haru says, dropping the two paint buckets down next to the brushes and papers that Futaba had already put down.

Futaba remains silent as she stares at Haru.

The girl is studying her.

“Right… Thanks for the help. I have to get back to work, but I guess I’ll see you around.” The girl replies, turning back to supervise her fellow student council members without so much as a wave.

Haru misses the glance Futaba makes over her shoulder and how the tension in said shoulders is released as soon as she’s gone. Haru misses the students who fall silent at the sight of her and almost instantly return to their conversations once she’s passed.

It takes about five minutes of waiting outside the school for Iwai to skulk out of the building as if it’s personally offended him.

“That man doesn’t understand what I mean when I say I’m short on time.” He complains, looking over to her.

She nervously smiles.

“They weren’t kiddin’ when they said you should be grateful. If you get expelled from here, you’ve got no other place to go. Not only that, but you won’t have anywhere to sleep. You get expelled, and I’m throwin’ you out.” Iwai says with a huff, taking out a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it with a lighter he also seemed to have slipped in. He takes a long drag, looking back over to her. “Hey, you’ve got all your stuff, right? I don’t want to go back in there if I don’t gotta.”

She nods, taking out the papers she had shoved in her bags and showing him.

“Right. Let’s get outta here,” he mutters, motioning for her to follow.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

The ride home is unfortunately a few hours long. What had only been about a forty-five-minute drive has turned into five hours with all of the traffic. Haru had drifted off at one point, abruptly awaking about an hour later to find that they had hardly moved.

Iwai groans and hits his head against the steering wheel.

“From now on, you’re takin’ the subway. Now I’ll never get to open my damn shop for the day. What a damn pain. If I’d known you’d be this much trouble, I wouldn’t have bothered.” He seethes, knuckles going white from an iron grip on the wheel, as if _that_ will do anything.

“Okay.” She decides that letting him vent is the best course of action right now. Otherwise, he’ll get pissed at her for trying to put her two cents in and then he’ll have an excuse to hit her. Then he’ll throw her out the moment she threatens his career with-

“Kid, you alright?” Iwai asks, looking at her with a raised eyebrow, and no, no she really isn’t “alright”. Instead, she nods and gives a small smile. She grips onto her bag tightly and takes a deep breath as she smiles.

“Perfect,” she replies, inwardly wincing at the way in which her voice cracks. Iwai lets out a sigh and loosens his grip on the wheel.

“Yeah, sure.” He rolls his eyes, taking off his hat so he can scratch his head. His hair is a pale brown, and she can see a few gray hairs beginning to show through. It’s surprisingly longer than she thought.

She had expected a buzz cut, for some reason.

Instead, it’s more like a crew cut.

It’s amazing that she would even notice it in the middle of a panic attack, but perhaps it’s how she manages to calm down, if only slightly. He isn’t bald, and his eyes aren’t yellow, and he isn’t-

She lets out a laugh, and she can feel the tears coming down her face.

“Kid, c’mon, you gotta calm down.” Iwai puts a hand on her shoulder and shakes her gently. She grabs his wrist and pulls it away without hesitation.

She takes a shaky breath and releases his wrist. She slowly puts her own hand down.

“I’m fine, Boss.” She startles herself with her tone, which is stone cold compared to the molten lava that’s coming from her eyes.

Iwai notices it too and sighs. “Okay, whatever you say… Damn me for tryin’ to help. Anyways, what didja think about the school?” he asks, trying desperately to change the subject. Haru looks out the window, and notices how the traffic is starting to ease up. For one thing, they’re actually moving.

“I-It was a-a-alright… I met t-the S-Student Council P-President…” She replies, looking back to smile a bit, “S-She was incredible… A-A first year, r-running the S-Student Council.” Iwai nods, and rolls down his window to toss his toothpick out.

“Yeah, the principal told me already. Your homeroom teacher’s gonna meet you tomorrow morning before class. Don’t be late. I don’t think she’ll take too kindly to that, if I can be blunt with you. They might look for whatever excuse they can to kick you out, but at the same time…” Iwai trails off, his mouth turning down in a deeper scowl, “They’re probably doin’ it to improve the school’s rep. Turnin’ a delinquent into a model student? Sounds too good to be true. Just… work hard, alright? Do what you can to make this year bearable. Stay under the radar, do your best in your classes, and _don’t cause trouble.”_

Was that _advice?_

“Okay.” Is all she replies with, and the car is silent, if only for a moment. They both savor the silence, it seems, as Iwai says nothing, and doesn’t react to her lack of a real answer.

The next moment, Iwai’s phone is ringing. He grumbles as he fishes it out of his pocket and looks at who the hell is calling him. His annoyed expression shifts as he rolls his eyes, unable to hide the smirk as he answers.

“Hey, whaddya need? Sorry, no, not at the shop. I know, thanks for calling the landline first,” Iwai starts, and Haru is surprised to hear how nonchalant he sounds. She can hear someone talking, but she can’t determine who it is. Not that it really matters, it’s not that she’d really know who it is anyways.

“Hm? Oh, yeah, there’s some ramen in the cabinets. I know you don’t eat anything else, so make some for yourself. Right by the fridge. Y’know, the one right by the fridge. Like, there’s the counter, and- It’s okay if you gotta move stuff around, just remember to move it back. I’ll be home at the usual time. Traffic’s real bad,” he replies and huffs out a short laugh.

A car honks at them from behind.

“Alright, I gotta go. Looks like traffic’s startin’ to move. Love you.” Even from her seat, she hears nothing in response coming from the phone. Iwai sighs, and hangs up. He slips his phone into his pocket, and Haru feels her curiosity hitting its peak.

No, she can’t ask… It would be rude to do so. It really isn’t her business. She shouldn’t worry herself with it.

And so, the rest of the car ride is filled with a comfortable silence. Iwai doesn’t seem to be the sort of person to play music, so Haru doesn’t turn up the volume to see what’s even on.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 _April 10_  
_Sunday_  
_Afternoon_  
_Dumas Café_

When they get back to the café, Iwai flips the sign outside so any potential customers could come in before sunset. A pompous man enters and orders a cup. The man looks at Haru with a raised eyebrow, but she says nothing. She instead puts up a hand in farewell to Iwai and goes upstairs.

The room she looks into now is the exact same one she left. Haru decides to clean a bit more just for the hell of it, and so she can finally put her clothes away. She places both suitcases on a shelf, seeing as… Well, there’s no dresser.

She’ll find a way to make it work.

As for washing her clothes, she recalls seeing a laundromat just across the street, with a bathhouse right next to said laundromat. Her father would be sending in a monthly allowance, so she’d have to make the most of it.

The hours go by fast, and soon enough its dark outside.

The desk she had pushed the paperweight off of is still dirty, but she’s too tired to even start. Without a second thought she changes into more comfortable clothes and sighs. The chatter of the television has disappeared now, and all she can hear is her own breathing and Iwai’s heavy footsteps as he climbs up the stairs.

“I’m headin’ home,” he tells her, and okay, that’s… Wait, why is he telling her?

“I’m tellin’ you so that you know. So, if you hear someone downstairs, you know it ain’t me. I’ll go out tomorrow and get you some food for the fridge downstairs, but you’re gonna help out around here to earn your keep. Anyways, get to bed. You’ll wanna wake up early to catch the first train.” He shoves his hands in his pockets, “See ya. My warning from last night still stands. Take anything and you’re headin’ right back where you came from.”

She nods, and watches as he leaves. The bell rings as he does so, and she sits down on the mattress. A few minutes pass, and suddenly the landline downstairs rings. She doesn’t want to answer it, seeing as she’s already upstairs and right about to go to bed, but she determines that maybe it’s best of she does.

So, she jogs downstairs and picks up the phone with trembling hands.

“Hello?” She says into the little yellow phone, and a huff is heard on the other side.

“Hey, it’s Iwai. Don’t have your number, so I called the landline. I forgot to flip the sign outside. Can you do that and lock up the store for me?” Iwai says, voice crackling over the old phone.

“Yes, Boss. I can do that,” she replies simply, bidding farewell before putting the phone down.

Stepping outside with bare feet is a mistake, but Haru rationalizes that she’ll only be out for a second, so it really doesn’t matter.

That doesn’t make the concrete beneath her feet any less freezing, but she’s flipping the door’s sign and stepping back into Dumas before the chill really has the chance to set in.

Locking the door, Haru lets out a short sigh and walks to the end of the café, switches off the lights, and climbs up the stairs once more.

Sitting on her bed, Haru feels her anxiety bubbling up at the thought of her first day. It won’t be that bad, she rationalizes. The others won’t know who she is. She’s Haru Iwai, now.

She smiles as the anxiety ebbs away with that singular realization. _No longer an Okumura_.

And with that thought, Haru lays down and drifts off to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lotuses symbolize a sense of mystery and the need for the truth. Buddhism uses lotuses to symbolize purity of speech, of the body, and of the mind. It also could be connected to spiritual awakening or enlightenment.  
> In any case, I used the lotus in order to emphasize the importance of the Velvet Room scene. This is the beginning of Haru’s rehabilitation, after all. The lotus is meant to connect to spiritual awakening, right? So, it kind of made sense in my head to name the chapter after this flower.
> 
> How do you do, fellow kids? It’s me, the writer. What’s up? How’s everybody doing? I wanted to thank everyone who read this and commented. You guys are beautiful and I adore you. Also, I got kudos from two of my favorite P5 writers? Oh my god?? Also, dudes, this work hit over a hundred hits in under a week! I’m so excited by that! That’s one hundred people who have looked at this work’s description and went “okay, yeah, I’ll read that.” I’m so happy, man.  
> ALSO DID YOU GUYS SEE JOKER'S SMASH BROS TRAILER? My friend texted me about it and I quite literally _sobbed in the middle of my painting class._  
>  Anyways, more characters! I decided to change the Velvet Room assistant to Mishima, and put the twins somewhere else… Where? In the void, of course. Just kidding. Maybe.  
> Also, this chapter was originally going to be in the first chapter. I was pretty set on it until I realized that people would probably expect me to stay consistent with that. Unfortunately, I’m not like most of the writers in the P5 community. I can’t write 8,000 – 10,000-word chapters consistently, but I do hope to stay consistent with 5,000 – 7,000-word chapters. If I go over, then neato.  
> Also, apparently Haru is supposed to be 5’2” in canon? Nani the fuck? I decided to not only make her taller, but Futaba as well. Also, just looked it up, and apparently 5’2” is the average height for women in Japan. Wowie I’m an _IDIOT._ Either way, Haru is definitely taller, because, uh, I say so. Haru’s now 5’7”. Futaba’s going to be 5’2”. So, definitely not tall, but taller than her canon 4’11”.  
> Either way, I’m super hyped. Next chapter we get more characters and I get to write for one of my best boys and a pretty nice gorl. Not my best, since Haru’s had my heart from the start, but still a pretty good one.  
> Until then, ciao!


	3. Hyacinth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, gamers. I just wanted to put a note at the top here to apologize. I said I’d update Saturday, but life kind of got in the way. Exams were tough, yo! A huge thanks to my beta once again. This chapter was an absolute monster, and I’m really thankful she was able to get it back to me as quickly as she did. Also, a few parts of this chapter are unbeta'd due to a bit of miscommunication on my part. So, if you catch any mistakes, please let me know! Thank you!  
> Also, happy holidays, everyone! I can’t wait for the new year! New year, new garbage to be spewed from my computer. I wanted to thank everyone once again for all of the love and comments this piece has been getting. Y’all rock! I get all warm and fuzzy when I get comments, especially ones that are long! To those who take the time to write me long comments, YOU! ARE! SO! VALID!  
> Anyways, it’s finally time! To the Metaverse we go!

_April 11_  
_Monday_  
_Early Morning  
_ _Dumas Café_

Thankfully, no blue room awaits Haru when she wakes up. It’s the same attic she fell asleep in, and the first rays of sunlight are starting to seep in through the windows right above her bed.

She checks her phone and sees that it’s actually about six in the morning.

Well, she does want to be early. It’s far earlier than she’s accustomed to, but she’ll make it work. She rubs the sleep from her eyes and grabs her glasses.

She can’t smell anything from downstairs, so she assumes that Iwai has yet to come in.

That’s alright, to be honest. She doesn’t know what she’d do if they had to talk to one another so early.

The interaction from yesterday is still fresh in her mind, and she curses herself for reacting like she did.

Then, the reminder of why she has woken up so early rings clear in her mind, and she takes in a deep breath.

She can do this.

They don’t know her. They don’t know what she’s done. She’ll be _fine._

Haru distracts herself by getting ready, which mainly consists of running over to the bathhouse, running back once she’s done, getting dressed, brushing her teeth, and eventually packing everything she’ll need into her messenger bag.

She manages to only slightly tame her curls.

At this point, she couldn’t care less. Her appearance really wouldn’t matter anyways. She’d just be a normal transfer student. It's not like she needed to make herself pretty for anyone.

When she’s ready to leave, Iwai has somehow managed to come in and make curry. He must have come in while she was running around. She should have assumed he had already arrived, seeing as she had heard the television click on, and the resulting chatter seeping into her room like oil. The man leans against the counter, watching the television idly and turning the page to his newspaper over every once in a while.

He stays silent as she eats, and she appreciates it. When she’s done, she takes it behind the counter to clean it, but Iwai takes it from her without a word.

Well, that works.

“Alright, get outta here. I’m about to open up, and I don’t need you bein’ late. Remember, go and see your homeroom teacher before school,” he tells her, and she nods in affirmation.

When she leaves Dumas, she finds that the sector is filled with a dull buzz of noise as parents walk with their children to the nearby kindergarten and elementary school. A little girl runs ahead of her mother, who is simultaneously walking their dog.

“Mama, hurry up! First day, first day!” She cries, and Haru smiles at the sight.

The mother jogs to catch up with her daughter, worriedly trying to slow the little girl down. Haru continues on her way.

The train station isn’t too bad and transferring from Shibuya to Aoyama-Itchome is difficult, but she finds her way right before the train leaves. The ride is packed to the brim with students, and Haru even spots a few Shūjin students excitedly talking to one another, some first years, other second years ecstatic to finally be upperclassmen.

Sitting next to her are two girls who are practically identical. She looks down at their uniforms and spots the crest for “Kosei High”. If her memory serves her right, Kosei was a rather prodigious school that was dedicated specifically to the arts.

They look to be first years, but she distantly wonders if the school has some sort of junior high.

She realizes that she’s been staring, so she quickly averts her gaze before they notice.

Haru gets off the train when she spots other Shūjin students doing the same. Suddenly, she feels something hit her nose.

The rain comes in before she can blink.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 _April 11_  
_Monday_  
_Before School  
_ _Aoyama-Itchome Train Station_

Standing under the awning of a shop, Haru watches students dash by with a variety of different colored umbrellas. She checks the time on her phone and curses under her breath. She’s been standing here for fifteen minutes. She only has ten minutes.

Ten minutes to make a mad dash to the school and pray to whatever higher being there was that Niijima wouldn’t kick her ass. The woman seemed like someone who would do that. It was obvious that the woman already disliked her. Showing up right when school started would be just one more excuse to hate her.

Damn it.

She could just run to school like she first thought, but that would mean she’d get her uniform wet.

Her _brand-new_   uniform, which she’d have to stay in for the entire day.

She’d prefer to look nice over getting to school late.

She decides to stand there for a few more minutes and prays that she won’t be late when the rain finally stops.

She looks back down at her phone again and curses when she spots that _stupid eye_ staring back at her.

It’s mocking her.

How the hell is it even able to reappear like that? She’s deleted the thing twice already, when will it _not_  be there?

She goes to delete it, but someone bumps into her and stops to stand under the awning with her.

They’re wearing a jacket with the hood pulled up, but Haru sees the plaid, red pleated skirt that the person’s wearing, and the black leggings, and she determines that the person is female.

The girl pulls down the hood and shakes out the water in her dark hair.

She’s not very short, only a bit shorter than Haru, and her hair appears to have been curled in some way to make it wavy. The girl checks her phone, but then seems to realize that she’s being stared at.

The girl looks at Haru and tilts her head. Her mouth turns down in a slight frown and her eyebrows furrow as she looks at Haru.

But what really catches Haru’s attention is the girl’s blood red eyes. Huh, that looks just like-

A car pulls up, and the girl noticeably tenses. She clutches her phone close to her chest, and Haru swears she sees her trembling.

The car’s passenger window rolls down, and a man’s face slowly comes into view. He’s a young man, definitely not their age, but probably in his late twenties. He has a strangely square chin, and seems to have black, curly hair.

He smiles, and waves at the girl.

“Hey, Mako-chan! You’re gonna be late. You need a ride to school?” He asks, and Haru feels herself freeze at his tone.

_This isn’t right._

The girl, Mako, Haru assumes, goes to say something, but then stops herself. She gives him a small smile, and slowly nods.

_This isn’t right._

The man grins, and unlocks the car so she can get in. When the brunette is buckled in, the man finally notices Haru standing there.

_This isn’t-_

“You need a ride too? It’d be a shame to get your uniform wet on the first day,” he offers, and Haru grips the strap to her bag.

She swallows down the anxiety and downright _dread_ she feels and shakes her head, watching as the man’s expression temporarily shifts into a frown.

“You sure? It’d be bad if-“ he’s cut off by a yell coming from Haru’s right. The man lets out an annoyed sigh and rolls the window up. The last Haru sees of Mako before she disappears behind the tinted window, the girl glances towards her. She looks… sad.

The car drives away, and Haru hears that yell again.

“No, wait! Damn it, slow down! Damn that pervy teacher!” A boy yells, dashing after the car. One of his legs seems to seize up, and he falls to the ground ungracefully.

“’Pervy… teacher?...” She mumbles in confusion.

A ding comes from her phone.

It goes unnoticed.

The boy sits up and groans, dusting off his uniform pants. Speaking of his uniform, Haru distantly wonders how he’s able to wear it so without at least once being scolded.

Haru holds out a hand to him, and he hesitates when he looks at her, but then gratefully takes it.

He’s tall, much taller than Haru. Not only that, but he’s skinny to the point where she wonders if he’s even healthy. His hair is jet black and is swept to cover some of his left eye. He takes the initiative to tuck some of it behind his ear.

He appears to be wearing the Shūjin school uniform, but he’s altered it to fit what she can only describe as an “American punk” style. He’s popped his blazer’s collar, which has a second-year pin on it, and there are a few piercings on his ears and a single stud on his nose. He has black boots on, stopping just below his knees. The boots are covered in leather straps and silver buckles.

When she looks up at him, he looks right back down at her with silver-blue eyes. It looks like he put on some black eyeshadow. He looks her up and down, and frowns.

“What the hell? Why’d you help me up? Nobody does that… And anyways, what are you going to do? Help me up so you can rat me out to Kamoshida?” He hisses, and Haru recoils.

“W-What? W-Who, um, w-who’s Kamoshida?” Haru asks, cursing herself for her feeble tone. She hazards a guess that it’s the man she just saw in the car, but she can’t be sure.

A second ding.

It goes unnoticed.

“Wait, w-what? You… you _don’t_ know who Kamoshida is? He treats the whole damn school like it’s his castle! Are you living under a rock or something?” He demands, eyes wide as he says this.

A final ding.

It goes unnoticed.

“U-Um, actually, I-I just transferred… I, um, I’m supposed to m-meet with m-my homer-room t-teacher, b-but then it s-started raining…” She stutters out. He looks her over again and comes to a realization. His face morphs from confusion into a genuine smile.

“Oh! No wonder I didn’t recognize you!” He chirps, putting out a hand that Haru notices is covered by a black, fingerless glove.

“Sorry about that, I’m kinda defensive… all the time… Anyways, my name’s Yusuke Kitagawa!” He says, and Haru can’t help but smile, shaking his hand.

“H-Haru O- Iwai,” she replies, stopping herself from completely ruining her cover. Damn, that was too close. Yusuke tilts his head at her blip, but he doesn’t comment on it.

“Nice to meet you, Haru! Honestly, it’s been a while since anyone’s talked to me so openly. It’s a nice feeling. Oh, you’re a third year!” He comments, looking from the pin on her blazer to his phone. He winces and lets out a nervous laugh. “Oh, it looks like we might be late… Well, that’s okay. I know a shortcut anyways. C’mon!”

A feeling overtakes her, and she clutches her head. She feels lightheaded. Yusuke seems to feel the same way, putting both hands on his face.

That’s not normal. She gets migraines every once in a while, but… at the same time as him? Something’s not right, but she can’t put her finger on it just yet.

“Ugh, my head… I knew I should’ve had breakfast…” He mutters, shaking it off and motioning for Haru to follow. The feeling slowly ebbs away, and she sighs in relief.

Haru slips her phone into her bag and follows after the boy.

Yusuke is leading her down an alley. She takes care to avoid the puddles and tightens her grip on her bag strap. She can’t trust this. This is too simple. He’s too friendly.

But she’s curious.

She can feel the rain falling on her, but she ignores it. At least she won’t be late.

Then, she feels it.

A shift in the air.

She stops.

Haru glances behind herself, but she finds that there’s no one there.

Haru hears a squawk of disbelief up ahead, and she jogs to catch up with Yusuke.

When she rounds the corner to join Yusuke, she finds herself gawking in awe.

In place of where the school should be, is a medieval castle. She looks to the sky, and feels her stomach drop at the blood red color.

The sky is red, and the castle that stands before them is made almost entirely of gold.

What the _fuck._

“What… What the hell?” Yusuke mutters, voicing her exact thoughts. He glances back to the alley to confirm that yes, they had gone down the right one.

He turns to Haru, worry etched on his face. He’s obviously trying to calm himself as he takes a few deep breaths. “This… is weird. I know we took the right turns,” he says, looking back to the castle. Haru shrugs, and glances around. It seems as though there’s really no other way to go but forward, into the ridiculous-looking castle.

“M-Maybe w-we should g-go in? A-Ask w-what’s going on?” She suggests, and Yusuke shrugs his shoulders, but nods.

“Yeah, I don’t really think there’s any other way… Whatever’s going on, we gotta figure it out. We can sort this out, I’m sure… It just might take a while. Goodness, I hope we aren’t late,” he replies with a reassuring smile. He’s definitely freaking out, but maybe he’s trying to appear calm for her sake?

Strange.

When they enter the castle, Haru can see how it resembles the inside of a castle. Who would have thought, right?

She and Yusuke stand on a red velvet carpet that runs up the entrance hall and to the staircase, which splits off into two sets, going opposite directions. However, hanging above the base of the stairs is a painting.

It’s the man she saw in the car. Except, he wears a shimmering golden crown and a fur-lined cape. His chest is exposed, eyes a bright yellow, and the painting surrounds his likeness in sparkles.

Kamoshida.

A sound. Haru whips her head around, trying to locate it. It’s still distant, but it’s getting louder by each passing moment. She listens more carefully. It sounds like clashing metal. Almost… armor-like?

She stands there with Yusuke, waiting for whatever the clanging metal is to get to them. She’s panicking. Everything is screaming for her to run.

Run.

_Run._

Please, _run._

But she stays standing there, because Yusuke’s there, and even the most logical part of herself is unable to convince her that she can leave him behind.

So, when _something_ walks up to them in armor, she can’t stop herself from grabbing Yusuke’s arm. He squawks in surprise, and the creature snaps its head down to them. It leaves behind a strange red trail with each step that disappears soon after. The place where its eyes should be, are electric blue lights that glow from behind a strange, stern green mask.

It holds a large, intimidating shield in one hand, and an equally large and intimidating sword in the other.

“What are you two doing here? Trespassing is expressly forbidden by King Kamoshida!” It yells, and Haru hears _something_ , a sound even she can’t describe, and suddenly there are nearly five guards surrounding them.

“What is one of the queens doing out?! She should be with the others! And this _heathen_ should be sent to the dungeon!” One shouts, the others chorus their agreement. Before she can protest, Yusuke cries out in pain and crumples to the ground.

“Y-Yusuke!” She shouts, unable to keep herself from screaming as hands grab onto her arms and pull her off her feet.

_No._

_Stop it._

_Let me go._

She tries struggling, but all she does is force the creatures to tighten their grips. One of the other creatures lifts Yusuke and carries him off, suddenly vanishing with the blink of an eye.

“This one isn’t like the others…” One mutters to another, motioning to her.

“Makes sense. King Kamoshida likes a good struggler every once in a while,” the other replies with an insidious chuckle.

Bile rises in Haru’s throat.

_No._

_Not this._

Anything _but this._

_Please._

One of the creatures notices her unease.

It blows a purple cloud of dust in her face, and almost instantly she’s asleep.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 _April 11_  
_Monday_  
_Morning  
_ _Shūjin Faculty Office_

To say that Sae was pissed was an understatement.

She was _furious._

The newest transfer student, Haru Iwai, a _criminal_ on probation for a year and the sole student she had been waiting for, was nowhere to be seen.

Not only that, but Yusuke Kitagawa, a second year and infamous delinquent of his class, was missing as well.

It was bad enough that the girl was in _her class_ , with her _little_ _sister_ , but being late on the _first day?_

How embarrassing.

To make matters worse, she had probably dragged Kitagawa into trouble, so she could get away with a far gentler sentence.

Well, that wouldn’t work with Sae. There was no way in hell she’d be allowing this _criminal_ to get away scot-free. Sae was a woman of strict guidelines that needed to be followed to the t. If one bad egg couldn’t follow them, then they didn’t deserve to be in her class.

Sae lets out a loud sigh to alleviate her frustration at least somewhat.

She glances at the clock. 9:34 AM, approximately an hour since the school day started.

Sae picks up the phone at her desk and punches in the phone number of the girl’s current guardian, Munehisa Iwai. After a few rings, he picks up.

 _“Hello?”_ The man’s gruff voice comes from the receiver, and Sae clutches the phone a bit tighter in her hand.

“Good morning, Iwai-san. It’s me, Sae Niijima. I’m Haru’s homeroom teacher. Did she leave home this morning?” She asks, listening to how the man is silent on the other side for a few moments.

 _“Whaddya mean? ‘Course she did. I reminded her to meet with you before school this morning. She left pretty early, actually,”_ the man replies, obviously confused. _“Why, did somethin’ happen?”_

“Something did happen, yes. She isn’t here, Iwai-san. Whatever she’s doing right now, she’s not doing it here. I’d suggest you call her right now and get this sorted out, or I might consider expelling her right here and now. I will not tolerate behavior such as this in the future,” she snaps back, and her hand is trembling in exertion as she grips onto the phone as if she hopes it’ll break.

 _“Damn it… I knew I should’ve asked her before… Listen, I don’t have her cell number. I never asked, and she doesn’t seem like the person to freely give it out. It’s in her papers, can you please call her? I’m sorry, Niijima-san, I’d look for her, but I got a café to run. Call me if you get a hold of her_ … _Damn it.”_ The man hangs up before Sae can say anything else, and she feels burning hot rage fill her.

Looking over the girl’s student form, she does indeed spot her phone number.

The phone doesn’t even ring.

_“We’re sorry, but the person you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please-“_

Sae slams the phone down before the automated message can even finish.

“Damn it!”

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

_April 11_

_Monday_

_Morning_

_???_

When Haru opens her eyes, she finds herself looking up at an unnaturally bright pink ceiling. She’s laying on something plush and soft, which is soothing to her sore arms.

Her head is pounding, as if she was repeatedly getting a hammer slammed onto it.

Haru reluctantly sits up and assesses her surroundings. She’s still in her uniform, thankfully, but the room itself is alien in appearance.

Much like the ceiling, everything in this room is a bright pink, dotted with red hearts to the point where it almost seems redundant.

By the looks of it, she’s alone. No one to bother her…

Cautiously, Haru gets to her feet, and goes towards a set of polished wooden doors.

They’re unlocked, thankfully, but when she opens them, she instantly regrets it.

“Woooow, you must be new! You still have everything on! Seeeeeriously, I can’t believe Sugu-kun would replace me so soon!” It’s the girl from earlier, the one who had gotten in Kamoshida’s car. Mako, right?

Except… Something’s not right.

The girl looks vaguely similar from how Haru recalls her. All she wears now is a lingerie bra and pair of panties, made with red lace and failing to hide much of the girl’s body. The red in the girl’s eyes is impossibly brighter, and she’s slightly taller than Haru now.

When Haru looks down, she realizes that Mako is wearing a pair of black high heels that look around five inches tall. Her nails are painted red and black, interchanging between the two. Her curly hair is pulled into two pigtails that are held by two skull and crossbones pins.

“Helloooooo? Gosh, you’re really out of it! And I thought Sugu-kun would have better taste!” Mako says, crossing her arms and pouting.

Haru realizes that she’s been silent this entire time.

“R…Right… U-Um, I-I’m looking f-for a friend… U-Um, he c-came in with m-me…” She explains, watching as Mako teeters back and forth on her heels so effortlessly that it seems as though she’s done it her entire life.

“Hmmmmmm… A friend, you say? Like, not Sugu-kun? That’s weird, you’re not supposed to _have_ friends! And anyways, the pig who came in is going to be executed soon. He’s down in the dungeons, where he belongs! Trespassing is like, _soooo_ bad!” Mako squeals with a laugh, but then lets out an offended gasp, “Wait, _“he”?!_ You’re not supposed to have any guy friends! Now you _have_ to stay in there!”

Suddenly, she has a look on her face, devious in nature as she wraps her arms around Haru’s neck, smiling softly. Haru feels the girl’s body press against hers, and she immediately feels uncomfortable.

“Unless… you want to talk a bit more? Get to know each other better?...” She trails off, fiddling with one of the buttons to Haru’s school blazer. Her other hand moves up, and starts to pull off her glasses. The world begins to go out of focus, and Haru snatches Mako’s wrist without really thinking. Her grip tightens as Mako tries to struggle out of her hold.

Mako’s innocent façade fades, and her eyes blaze yellow. What was with all of the _yellow?_

“What’s wrong, huh? Can’t take a compliment? I’m offering you something that you’d probably die for in the real world! Why can’t girls like you just accept it?! You’re lucky to even be here!” Mako hisses, snatching her hand from Haru’s hold and pushing Haru back in.

Haru moves out of the way, and watches as the girl tumbles into the pink room.

Without a second thought, she slams the doors closed and locks them.

Haru lets out a shaky breath. That was… not right. Not at all. What the hell was she even _wearing?!_ In her panic, Haru nearly forgot why she had locked the girl in.

_Yusuke._

“The dungeons…” Haru mutters and walks from the door, down a long corridor that’s lined with gold and carpeted with red velvet.

Where the hell are the dungeons?

Suddenly, one of the creatures from before appears in front of her. It doesn’t come from around a corner or exit from another room, it just _appears,_ as if it expected her to be there.

She suddenly has an idea.

Haru does her best to smile and gets its attention by clearing her throat. It stares down at her with those terrifying blue lights, and she represses a shudder.

“H-Hello? U-Um, S-…” She resists the urge to gag. “S-Sugu-kun said that t-there’s going t-to be an execution a-and I want to s-see.”

The guard says nothing, but it lifts her up. The creature tightens its hold on her waist without warning.

_No._

_Stop it._

_Let me go._

In the next moment, she’s stumbling into a dark cell.

Looking around, she realizes two things: one, now she must be in the dungeons, and two, she’s just in time.

A man glares at her, yellow eyes blazing, and she recognizes him.

Kamoshida.

Except, not?...

“Haru, you’re okay!” Yusuke cries in utter joy, wheezing when a shield makes contact with his stomach and knocks down to his knees.

“Shut it, pig! That’s one of the queens you’re talking to!” One of the figures shouts, pointing its sword at the boy. Kamoshida(?) scoffs, rolling his eyes and putting up a hand in a halting motion.

“You’re useless hunks of metal, all of you! That’s an imposter! I have no queens that are as hideous as her!” he snaps, clenching his fist. “I despise imposters. You have no right to trespass and threaten my queens!”

“Leave her alone, you bastard! I’ll make sure you can’t walk by the end of this!” Yusuke exclaims suddenly, getting back to his feet. His left leg trembles, and Yusuke winces in pain. Haru can hear how he mutters a short, “damn it…” in pain.

“That’s rich, especially coming from you, Kitagawa.” Kamoshida replies with a smirk, cocking his head at the figures towards the boy.

Haru doesn’t know why, but she finds herself clenching her fists at how the guards are lifting Yusuke up and pinning him against the wall. The boy’s eyes widen with fear, and he uselessly kicks his legs in a struggle.

“No, please! Stop! I don’t want to die!” He cries out, and it feels like a switch goes off in her head. Haru doesn’t quite know what she’s doing until it’s done, and she’s weakly slamming her fists against the suits of armor. One of the other creatures bats her away.

She hits the ground hard, knocking the wind out of her. She’s being lifted up again before she can regain her composure and is now being pinned against the wall. She feels something warm coming down her face, and she knows that its blood. The bridge of her nose burns from where her glasses have dug into the skin.

“Foolish little girl… You’re in my castle. Whatever I say, goes,” Kamoshida hisses, looking between the two. He motions for the guards to continue the execution. “But not to worry. You’ll get your turn. You can watch your fellow rat die.” He grins at that and lets out a laugh.

Yusuke cries out as the guards throw him across the cell, trembling as he tries to get on his hands and knees. He’s bleeding, _oh god, he’s bleeding_ -

_“Shalt thou allow this to continue?”_

What?

A voice?

It sounded so familiar, just like…

The voice from Shibuya. It was the same voice.

_“Ah, so thou dost recognize me.”_

The voice is smooth, calm, but commanding. The voice’s Japanese has an accent that’s hard to describe, but it’s definitely European in some way. Not Eastern Europe, but more… Western? Yes, that sounds about right.

 _“My question remains, rebenok,”_ the voice chimes in, saying a word she does not understand, yet… She does.

It’s with a moment of shock that she realizes why the voice sounds so familiar. It sounds like herself. It’s _her._

What is she supposed to do? She obviously wants to help him, but she can’t. She quite literally can’t move. She tried to help, but it was for nothing. She’s even more useless than before. She can’t let Yusuke die, but she at the same time will die either way.

They both will.

She doesn’t want to die.

 _“So, thou hast finally realized it as well, this cursed fate of thine. Thine asinine thoughts be thy curse,”_ the voice comments, and Haru begins to feel a burning sensation in the pit of her stomach. She can feel something pulling at her soul, as if it’s tangled by hundreds of strings, slowly strangling her as she continues to do nothing.

But she can feel it.

Her _rage_.

_““Survival” is but an illusion of thy mind. Let him die, and all that thou hast achieved is cowardice. Shalt thou allow this? Or was thy decision for naught?”_

The voice is mocking, awaiting her answer patiently, but already knowing it. Her decision… She feels her rage bubble over at the thought.

“Hands off the twink!” Haru shouts, surprised by her own tone. Gone is the timid stutter. Instead, she feels strong.

She likes it.

Kamoshida looks at her with utter disgust. He rolls his eyes.

“Very well, then. Kill her first,” he orders. Haru smiles.

“My decision… was not a mistake. I will make him pay for what he did to me!” She screams, and a chuckle resonates through her mind. A pain flares in her head, and she lets out a gasp in surprise.

Her glasses clatter to the ground.

 _“Very good. Dobroe utro, rebenok. I am thou, thou art I."_ The pain flares down through her entire body, and the guards loosen their grip on her not from choice, but from a blast of raw power that emanates from her. Blue flames crackle from her back, and she holds her head as that former headache, the feeling of a hammer cracking her skull, returns.

 _“Take my hand and seal this contract. May that cursed heaven never hear of our crimes and instead seal our souls in the everlasting light of glory and honor. Fight for thy comrades, and may my power only seek to achieve a resilient state of mind. Take thy mask and avenge what hath been taken from thee!”_ Something materializes on Haru’s face, and it takes her a few moments to recognize what it is.

A mask.

 _“Say my name and vanquish thine unworthy foes!”_ The pain pounding in Haru’s head only intensifies as her fingers latch onto the mask’s edges, and her skin seems to have been glued to the damned thing.

Wrapping her fingers around the edges far more tightly, she pulls, pulls, _pulls._

“Per…son…a…” She whispers, giving one last pull.

And then there’s blood everywhere.

She can’t help the screams of agony that erupt from her throat, but then the pain is gone, and the sparks coming from her back explode into a bright blue inferno.

Her school uniform has vanished, and in its place is a black ensemble of some sort of military uniform, complete with a black cloak that drapes over her shoulders and wraps her in a comforting feeling of security. She wears a pair of bright red gloves.

She lifts her hand in a sweeping motion, unable to hide the grin on her face at the sheer power that has overtaken her.

A weight materializes on her back, and she reaches a gloved hand back to it. She grasps the handle to a heavy gun, one that she cannot recognize.

As she pulls it from its holster, she recognizes it as a sniper rifle. A sniper rifle has manifested itself onto her back, and she is now about to use it.

She can’t complain.

She loosely aims at one of the guards, yet she finds that her aim is perfect; the bullet pierces the head of one of the creatures, and its head explodes in a startling splatter of black ink. The rest of its body crumbles into dust that vanishes in all but a few moments.

_“Now, call upon me and allow me to show thou the true extent of thy power!”_

“Alright… Give them hell, _Lady Death!”_ Haru cries, and the inferno roars, and she can see a skeletal right hand with strings attached to the finger bones loom over her. A screech echoes in the cell, and a rifle similar to her own is shot at the guards.

Another screech, and wave of dark energy pulses through the small place and strikes the remaining guards. They disintegrate as well, leaving Kamoshida on the ground, too shocked to move.

Yusuke watches her with wide eyes, startled but amazed at the same time. His blood is pumping, his heart pounding in his chest, but he’s alright. Haru _protected_ _him_.

“Whoa! That… What _is_ that?!” Haru hears Yusuke demand, and she looks over to him. Then, she looks back to the creature floating a foot or two above the ground. The creature towers over everything, possibly ten feet tall, and it stares down at her expectantly.

 _“Zdravstvuyte, rebenok,”_ it says, but it’s mouth, which has no lips and simply exposes the teeth and jawbones, stays stationary. The place where its eyes should be are lights that she has seen so many times already. Instead of yellow, they illuminate the room in a soft red light.

The creature looks so humanoid, with a military uniform that is vintage in every sense, not from her generation, but from a wartime that was decades ago. Its boots are black, and the heels seem to be made from bullet shells. The creature soundlessly reaches the ground and crouches down, so she can inspect it further, not seeming to mind her confusion. It folds its arms over its knees, providing an easier viewing.

It has its upper arm, which is covered by the same uniform. However, its forearm is replaced entirely by a sniper rifle. Its elbow melds with the handle seamlessly, as if something so strange is supposed to be there. The creature’s other arm is normal enough, but its hand is made entirely of bones, and several black wires are tied to them.

Haru follows the wires down until she sees a few outlines of bodies, featureless and mere silhouettes of what could have once been there. They sway in the nonexistent wind, all pulled along by the wire.

The creature’s face, having already been mentioned, seems soft as it looks at her. It’s almost impossible, seeing how terrifying it appears, but it recognizes her fear and tries to be less intimidating. It has something that resembles hair, tied back in a low bun and mostly covered by a cap with a golden star on the front. On its chest is one more star with ribbons that flow down, wrapping around the creature’s figure loosely and floating aimlessly.

“You’re… me?” Haru whispers, confused but also delighted by this thought. It silently nods, looking over to the trembling Kamoshida in the corner.The silhouettes seize as the creature’s hand moves up, turning black with an unknown energy, and Haru takes its wrist.

She can feel its silent rage bubbling in her stomach.

“Not right now. We need to get out of here, right?” She suggests, and it reluctantly lowers its hand. It nods its understanding and picks up her glasses, which she had forgotten up until this point. The frame is unscathed, and the creature taps the broken glass lenses. They repair themselves instantly. Haru watches in awe. The creature hands them over to her, and Haru runs her fingers over the white digits of the creature’s right hand.

A rumble emanates from the creature’s throat, and it presses one of its skeletal fingers against her forehead. It's lights turn to a soft yellow, far less harsh than the eyes of the other creatures here.

 _“I am Lady Death, as thou hath so decided to call me. Call upon my name if my assistance is necessary in this strange world, rebenok.”_ It slowly disintegrates into a flurry of blue energy that swirls into a ball before going into her chest. A warm feeling overcomes her, and she smiles.

“That was… so cool…” Yusuke whispers in awe, looking over to Kamoshida. “Uh, what should we do? We can’t just let him chase after us.” Haru is already one step ahead, snatching the large ring of keys from the man’s grasp. He flinches when she does so, and she smiles to herself. Good. Let him be scared. She walks with Yusuke out of the cell, and slams the door shut behind them, locking it.

Yusuke takes the ring and throws it off, giving her thumbs up when they hear the metal clatter elsewhere.

“Alright, now, let’s get outta here! Whoa, where’d your get-up go?” He says, and she looks down to find that it is indeed gone. Now she’s just back in her school uniform, which is thankfully as clean as before. She readjusts her glasses and gives a shrug. She doesn’t know. He takes that as a good enough answer, and they begin to navigate through the catacombs.

Maneuvering their way out of the dungeon is difficult, but things get even more complicated when they hear a voice from one of the cells.

“Hey, you two! Can you please come over here?” It calls, and they both look at one another and shrug. It didn’t hurt to look, right?

When they look in, they’re surprised to find a boy that looks around their age. He’s a bit above the average height, but definitely not as tall as Yusuke.

He has long, brown hair that’s tied back with a black leather band. The boy is dressed in dark green and black leather that imitates almost that of a traditional American sheriff. He has a white scarf around his neck that blows in the nonexistent wind. He has a mask that hides the upper half of his face.

The mask has large eyeholes and is grey in color. The bottom is lined with white teeth and has two holes for nostrils. It actually almost looks like an alligator, if she looks hard enough.

Haru is intrigued. Perhaps he had the same power as her?

Yusuke, meanwhile, looks very, very tired. He’s leaning on his left leg, and Haru notices how he tries to hide his pained expression.

The boy pulls their attention back to him as he waves a gloved hand. They’re electric yellow, and pop against the neutral colors of the rest of his outfit.

“Hello there! If it wouldn’t trouble you, could you please unlock this cell? I know this place very well, and I could help you escape!” He says, and Haru glances over to Yusuke. Said punk lets out a sigh.

“I _would_  say no, but… I’m getting really tired of running around here.” He says, glancing towards Haru momentarily. The boy grins and shoots them both a thumb up.

“Excellent! Would it be alright if you could take those keys, then?” He asks, motioning towards a ring of keys that are on a hook nearby.

When Haru unlocks the cell, the boy walks out and does a short bow.

“Thank you! My name is Goro. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he says, putting out a hand for them to shake. Haru cautiously does so, and Yusuke does so as if he’d rather be anywhere else.

“I’m Yusuke, and that’s Haru. Can we please get going?” He asks, gently grabbing Haru’s forearm almost to shield her from the boy.

Goro, as the boy calls himself, looks around for a few moments. He seems to be rejuvenated by his newfound freedom.

“Alright, let’s go! Stay close to me. If either of you see a Shadow, please call it out,” he explains with a pleasant smile, motioning for them to follow him.

So, they follow the boy out. As they near the exit, a “Shadow” jumps out from the ground.

Goro rips off his mask without hesitation. And with it, he calls out a name.

_“Bass Reeves!”_

Much like Lady Death, a creature bursts from thin air, and blue flames crackle around him. A large cowboy hat is the first thing Haru sees, but it looks as though the creature’s head is an alligator's. A pair of white eyes blaze from beneath the shadow of the hat. It wears a black and white sheriff’s outfit. A pair of dark green, scaly, clawed hands can be seen poking out from the sleeves of the creature’s shirt and vest.

Yusuke lets out a squeak of surprise and falls back.

Haru’s vision is slightly obstructed by a mask, and she smiles.

“Oh, so you have one too? Excellent! Please, come and help me!” Goro calls, and she nods.

 _“Yeshcho raz zdravstvuyte, rebenok.”_   Lady Death’s voice is calm and collected, and almost urges her to use the being’s power. Haru puts a hand over the mask and calls out the name as if it’s second nature already, “Lady Death!”

“This… this is too much.” Yusuke mutters, looking between the two creatures.

Goro lets out a chuckle at the other’s reaction, and waves his hand towards the Shadows. One has morphed into a little woman in a blue leotard and green wings. The other is a little ghost with a jack-o-lantern for a head.

“Now, Bass Reeves!” He yells, echoing through the halls. Electricity snaps from Bass Reeves’s maw, and suddenly a bolt of lightning roars through the air. It connects with the little ghost, and it disintegrates into a black dust almost instantly.

Goro looks to her expectantly, and a part of Haru somehow knows what she’s doing.

“Go, Lady Death!” She shouts, and Lady Death aims at the girl in the blue leotard. Haru stumbles in surprise as Lady Death lets off a shot that floors the girl. However, she feels rather drained. Goro jumps in and finishes off the creature by shooting it with his pistol.

Goro lets out a short sigh and smiles at the two. “Wonderful job!” He cheers, frowning as Haru’s outfit reverts to her school uniform once again. She helps Yusuke get to his feet. “How strange… I didn’t think it would do that,” Goro comments, and leads them to a room that’s some ways away from the main entrance.

It’s a small room, lined with a few bookshelves. Red light shines in and bathes the room in it. Goro puts a hand to his chin in contemplation.

“Kamoshida is bound to have locked the doors so nobody can get in or out, so…” He looks up, and Haru follows his line of sight. There appears to be a vent with the grate already removed. He motions for her to come over, and suddenly he _hoists her up_ , and now she’s on top of the bookshelves, looking down the narrow path of the vent. Yusuke yells in protest when Goro hoists him up as well, and they both look back down at the brunette.

“What about you?” Haru asks. Goro shrugs with a smile.

“I’ll be alright, no need to worry. I can care for myself. As for you two, you should go. Come back if you’d like to learn about this place,” he suggests and snaps his head around as he hears something. Yusuke lets out a huff and goes into the vent. Haru follows after him, and she feels the world shift as they tumble out the other side.

The sky distorts and shifts back to blue.

The castle and its surroundings vanish, instead replaced by green trees and small complex buildings. People are walking around them, sending them looks as they notice the two teenagers’ uniforms. They’re standing in the middle of Aoyama-Itchome, and it looks like it’s already noon, judging by the positioning of the sun.

A voice emanates from Haru’s phone.

_“You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hyacinths symbolize playfulness, a sporty attitude, and denote faithfulness and dependability. Also, hyacinths are seen as the flower of Apollo, aka the god of arts and crafts, among other things that may or may not include really unfortunate relationships! A bi disaster if I’ve ever seen one.
> 
> Translations: Rebenok – Child (Usually used to refer to a small child, at least.)  
> Dobroe utro – Good morning (Lady Death uses this phrase, as it’s obviously Haru’s awakening. I thought it’d be fitting.)  
> Zdravstvuyte – Hello (From what I could tell, this is actually a more formal form of hello, hence why it was used in the first chapter.)  
> Yeshcho raz zdravstvuyte – Hello again (So, I nearly just went with just “zdravstvuyte” once again but saying it twice to the same person in one day implies that you’ve forgotten that you’ve seen that person already today. It’s pretty interesting!)
> 
> Yusuke is in the role of literally my favorite character. I love Ryuji, okay? Haru’s my favorite gorl, and Ryuji is my favorite boi. If you hate Ryuji, then… why? Why do you hate Ryuji?  
> Either way, I didn't want to go the traditional Japanese delinquent route with my boy. Yusuke wouldn't be the one to dye his hair, but he'd definitely be one to make a statement through art. And, well, fashion is art! That was my thinking process, anyways.  
> Makoto fills the role of the Lovers arcana, and… she’s going to be fun. I want to mix both Ann and her characteristics together to make a different version of Makoto. We don't have much from her yet, but I can't wait to continue!  
> “kamoshida you dickwad, welcome to the story, this will be your doom” –my editor  
> Kamoshida makes his first appearance and Haru just kinda knows that something isn’t right about him. A teacher inviting students into his car? Kinda sketch.  
> Along with Kamoshida is Akechi, filling in the slot for one of my least favorite characters? **Ever?** Well, I guess I can promise that he won’t be bad? For one thing, he isn’t an animal companion. Would you believe me if I told you he almost was? Yeah, almost went with a crow. Thank god I didn't!  
> Additionally, Haru has revealed her Persona! Lady Death, otherwise known as Lyudmila Pavlichenko. Why did I change her Persona? Well, if you haven’t noticed, this Haru is a bit more cynical because of her record. She’s not the only one who went through a change, I assure you. Is it for better or for worse? Who knows. I kind of wanted to have characters that either go along with the whole “thief/trickster” vibe, or, those who rebelled against the quid pro quo of society and made it their bitch. Additionally, they’re from history because I love talking about history. Anyways, here’s a note on Lyudmila.  
> Lyudmila Pavlichenko, nicknamed Lady Death, was a Soviet sniper during World War II. She is often regarded as one of the top military snipers of all time and is the most successful female sniper in history. She’s credited with 309 kills. Not only that, but she roasted the West when she came here as an ambassador of the Soviet Union.  
> What a damn queen, am I right?  
> Additionally, Akechi shows off his persona, Bass Reeves. Bass Reeves was the first ever black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. In 32 years, Reeves brought in more than 3,000 felons, some of whom were the most dangerous criminals at the time. The craziest part was that he was never wounded. Yeah, his hat was shot off a few times, but he was otherwise left unscathed. 
> 
> As you may have noticed, Lady Death uses a whole lot of Russian! If this bothers anyone, I could get rid of it. And, if someone who actually speaks Russian sees anything wrong, please let me know! I chose not to use Russian script as to not break the flow of the story.
> 
> Another note, I saw a fic recently that had Fool!Haru, and it made me really happy! I was proud to see that someone else gave this good heckin’ gorl the spotlight!
> 
> Send a whole lotta love to my editor. She’s a huge sweetheart, and she got this back to me despite everything that’s been going on in her life. Also, as I stated in the first chapter, she’s never played Persona 5. So, she’s essentially learning everything from me. I love her so much and she DESERVES THE WORLD. She loves Yusuke, by the way. Her notes include such gems as this, which is around where Makoto is introduced.  
> “yUSUKE!!!”  
> “awwww, not yusuke”  
> “I,,,, I forgot her name,,,, shame on me, shame on my crops  
> * WAIT  
> ** MAKOTO  
> *** I GOT IT”
> 
> Also, if you're interested in following my social media, you can find me on tumblr @mystthenerd, or, alternatively, on the brand-new @ofphantomsanddaffodils. I know that Tumblr's basically dead, but it's still good to advertise. There's nothing up yet, but I thought I'd share. 
> 
> This note is getting long, so I’ll end it here! See you all in 2019, and happy holidays!


	4. Gladiolus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, party people. Happy 2019! This chapter has the following trigger warnings, so please pay attention.  
> -Mentions of sexual assault  
> -References to self-harm  
> -Panic attacks  
> If you are upset by any of these topics, do not read this. I will update the tags to reflect these warnings.

_April 11  
_ _Monday  
_ _Lunchtime  
_ _Aoyama-Itchome Train Station_

_“You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.”_

“What the ever-loving _hell_   was that?!” Yusuke demands, looking around wildly. Haru puts a hand to her forehead, closing her eyes to relieve the pounding headache that’s already coming on.

“N-Not sure… W-We s-should t-try to g-g-get to school,” she suggests with a nervous glance around. She spots two police officers, and subconsciously moves to hide the coat of arms on her blazer.

Yusuke seems to notice them as well and takes her arm. She flinches back, but she realizes that it’s just a nervous tic of his. He gently pulls her to follow after her, and she clutches her bag with white knuckles to make sure it won’t fall.

She’s terrified to make any noise, and even with the multitude of people around them, just trying to get to where they need to go, she feels as though they’re the only ones in the world. Lonely, without any space to move. Loud, without making a sound.

She hates that feeling.

Yusuke leads her through the crowd, squeezing her arm almost in support when he senses her unease.

“Almost there,” he assures her, glancing towards the two officers with her. They’re talking to one another, but also keeping a watchful eye over the hoard of people.

Then, Haru makes eye contact with one.

“Go, hurry,” she mutters to Yusuke, and he makes eye contact with the other officer.

“Don’t need to tell me twice,” he replies, suddenly pulling her along more urgently. Haru watches as the two officers begin pushing their way through the crowd, and Haru quickens her pace.

But then the two officers are right behind them and tapping her on the shoulder.

“Hey, you two! You should be in class!” One scolds, and Haru flinches back. Yusuke notices this.

“Don’t worry, we were heading over right now. My friend here was lost, and… Well, she has a bit of an anxiety problem, so we stopped by a doctor’s office to make sure she’d be alright,” Yusuke explains, earning a glare from Haru.

The officers accept this explanation, but one waves a finger at them. “Don’t let us catch you coming in late again. We’ll be calling your parents if you do.”

Haru stifles a laugh by coughing into her arm. _Good luck with that,_ she thinks, but winces at the real thought of her father hearing that. No, she couldn’t let that information get back to him.

Yusuke and she walk in silence for the rest of the way. It’s soothing, and Yusuke even offers her a mint.

“Grabbed some from work…” He explains with a small smile, and she takes it. Yusuke is awkward, but he’s obviously very nice.

Very…

Nice?

_Nice?_

_Hands holding her wrists-_

_No, please-_

“Haru? You okay?” Yusuke asks cautiously, having stopped to check on her. She swallows the bile rising in her throat and nods with a nervous smile. She doesn’t know why their interactions are setting her off. She needs to calm down.

He sends her a small smile in reply, but then scratches the back of his neck. “Hey, I’m really sorry about saying what I did to those officers. I didn’t want you to get the blame. You’re nice, and… well, I guess it’s my fault that we ended up in there?”

Haru doesn’t know how to respond, but for once she doesn’t feel uneasy as a result of that.

“T-Thanks… I-I’m not s-sure how i-it happened, so don’t blame yourself,” she replies, letting out a sigh of relief at the sight of the school she had visited yesterday. It’s in the distance, but at least it’s in sight now.

Was… was it the app?

Until this point, everything had been normal. As soon as she had tapped on that damn app earlier, everything went to shit.

When Haru checks her phone to confirm her suspicions, she gasps at the sight of the time.

Yusuke raises a brow. “What’s wrong?” he asks and leans in to look. He lets out a similar gasp and suddenly he’s dashing off. Haru runs to keep up with him, and they’re at the school in under two minutes.

At the top of the steps is a stern-looking man who looks like the stereotypical “hardball” sort of teacher, one who takes no nonsense. Yusuke’s face, which was worried and panicked, shifts into annoyed and uncomfortable. The man crosses his arms over his chest and lets out a huff.

“You two! We were notified by the police ten minutes ago, where have you been?” He demands, and Haru shrinks in on herself. She can’t take this right now, she just needs to sit down and take a few deep breaths. She never liked yelling. She hated being yelled _at._   It just brought up bad memories that she’d rather bury than be set free.

But, she has to remind herself that it’s alright, it’s just a teacher. He can’t do much.

“She got lost, and we both lost track of time, which may or may not have included getting lost in a castle,” Yusuke says with a straight face, shoving his hands in his pockets. Haru smacks her forehead in disappointment and lets out a sigh to reflect this emotion. Yusuke keeps his straight face, and both watch the dismay and utter confusion that goes through the man’s face.

“That… What the hell?! You better not be treating this as a joke! Especially you, Iwai! You’re already on thin ice!” He shouts. From the school walks a muscular man, who looms over the old man nearly threateningly.

She recognizes him.

Kamoshida.

Haru freezes, and inadvertently moves closer to Yusuke. He even moves to shield her a bit more from the man’s view.

“Ushimaru, is there a problem here?” Kamoshida asks, voice full of energy. He then looks down

Disgust rises in Haru’s gut, and she somehow finds the nerve to glare right back, moving out from behind Yusuke.

“The school delinquent and the criminal…” Kamoshida says, just loud enough for them to hear. Kitagawa scowls and clenches his fists. Kamoshida continues, “Kitagawa, I thought you’d be better than this. You used to be such a model student. You were so dedicated to that dance team. Came in every morning… Whatever happened to that?”

Kitagawa takes a step forward, pointing a finger at the muscular man. “That’s your own fault, you bastard! Shut your mouth!” Ushimaru scowls at the boy’s behavior, face reddening in anger.

“How dare you talk like that to Mr. Kamoshida!” He shouts, and Yusuke recoils. The boy’s face scrunches up in anger.

“He’s the one who provoked me!” Yusuke retaliates with eyes blazing in rage. Kamoshida places his hand on Ushimaru’s shoulder and lets out a laugh.

“No need to worry, it was both of our faults. You can’t blame someone for being offended,” Kamoshida responds with a smile, patting the man’s shoulder. Ushimaru sputters, but Kamoshida insists, and waves for him to go back inside. The man’s defensiveness disappears, and he reluctantly leaves, going back into the school.

Kamoshida then turns back to them. His face twists into pure confidence, and a smirk finds itself onto his face. “Both of you, get to class. You’re lucky I’m so merciful. If it were anybody else, you’d be gone already.”

Yusuke’s shoulders slouch and he reluctantly walks up the stairs. Kamoshida leans to the side and bumps Yusuke. The boy snaps his head up to the man, and scowls. “Screw off.”

Kamoshida lets out a laugh and slaps Yusuke on the back. He then turns his head back towards Haru, who’s starting to climb up the steps. When she goes to walk past him, he clamps her on the shoulder. She slowly turns to face him and takes a moment to calm herself down.

_Don’t touch me._

_Stop it._

_I don’t want this-_

Kamoshida furrows his brows and narrows his eyes. “Have I… seen you somewhere before?” He asks.

_Please, stop._

_Get off of me._

_This is my fault my fault my-_

“Oh, you were the girl from earlier. Strange to think you lost your way…” Kamoshida replies with another laugh, which shifts into a dark look almost instantly. “Try not to be so rude next time. I was offering you a ride. You should have been thankful.”

Haru clenches her fists and feels her teeth grind. She takes in a deep breath and looks up at him. She smiles softly and nods her head. “Yes, s-sir. I-I apologize f-for my r-rudeness.” This seems to please him, as he removes his hand and lets her go.

She rushes in and up the stairs to the faculty office. Her heart is pounding in her chest, and she needs to breathe, but she _can’t._ She’s skipping up every other stair as she finally gets to the second floor and dashes down the hall. She nearly trips over herself when she sees the faculty office.

Haru shakily raises her hand and knocks on the door with the back of her hand.

The door slides open, and Niijima is the one who is behind the door, waiting. Haru gives her a shaky smile, and gives a small, nervous wave. Niijima’s face flushes red, and she raises a hand, snapping it towards herself to motion for Haru to come in.

Niijima sits down at what Haru assumes is her desk and folds her arms over her chest. Haru goes to take a chair from another desk, but she stops herself as Niijima grinds out a, “Don’t bother.”

She’s fucked.

Haru slowly turns back to face Niijima and takes a deep breath.

“I can ex-“

“I certainly hope you can!” Niijima interjects, slamming her hands on her desk as she stands. The woman is only slightly taller, but right now it feels as though she towers over Haru. “Do you have _any_ idea what you’ve done? Your actions very well could have costed me my job! If you can’t take this seriously, then what hope do you have? I’ve already called your guardian. This will be your one and _only_ strike. Act out again, and you’re gone.”

Haru shakily nods, looking down at her feet to avoid the woman’s burning gaze. She hears a frustrated sigh, and Niijima is moving away from her.

Haru looks back up to watch the woman, and she notices some sort of emotion pass through her crimson eyes: regret? That quickly disappears as Niijima glares at her.

“We’re going to go to your class now. Don’t say anything weird if you can help it,” the older woman advises before moving to leave the office. Haru stumbles to follow after her and lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in.

That wasn’t so bad…

“Also, I would advise that you stay away from Kitagawa. He’s going through enough as it is. I doubt he needs another reason for people to talk about him.” What? Haru frowns, but she decides that now isn’t the right time to argue with the woman who could probably very easily kill her.

As they walk back downstairs to the first floor, Haru notices the banners that the Student Council had been making yesterday. She’s reminded of the little first year leading them, Futaba Sakura, and smiles. Maybe they could talk later?

Niijima opens the door to class 3-C, and the room instantly goes silent as Haru walks in.

**They know.**

**How do they know?**

**_They know about her record._ **

“No need to sound so surprised,” Niijima grumbles towards the class, then motions towards Haru. “This is the newest transfer student.” That’s her cue to introduce herself, then.

“M-My name is H-Haru Iwai… I-It’s n-nice to m-meet you all,” she stammers, clutching her bag’s straps even tighter than before. The class remains silent, but then she can hear the whispering.

“What a lame introduction.”

“She’s so damn tall…”

“Probably because she’s a monster.”

“She looks normal enough, but I bet when she loses it…”

“I heard she killed some guy… Just beat the crap out of him.”

“She came in with Kitagawa…”

“Are they dating?”

“Hell no… You know Kitagawa’s a fag.”

Haru clenches her teeth and glares at the student who says that and watches as the student flinches back as if he’s been burned. There’s silence for a few moments, but then the whispering resumes. Niijima lets out a disappointed sigh and scans the room. She grimaces.

“Quiet down, all of you. Iwai, go sit…” Niijima looks around again, obviously growing desperate for some reason, before her shoulders slouch. “Go to the empty desk behind Makoto. Makoto, can you please raise your hand?”

Haru looks around, and instantly notices the raised hand. It’s the girl from earlier, but her name isn’t Mako, apparently. Makoto makes more sense.

The memory of a lingerie-clad Makoto forces a blush on her face, and she averts her gaze when the girl gives her an inquisitive look.

Haru walks over to her desk, but she pauses at Makoto’s desk. Said girl’s gaze has tracked her up until this point, where she now looks up at Haru with a wary look.

“Nice to s-see you again,” Haru says quietly enough for the other to hear her. Makoto grimaces and looks back down at a book she had been reading. That was that, she supposed.

Sitting down, she can hear the whispering starting up again. Some spare glances towards both girls, and Haru sees how the brunette shrinks in on herself. The whispers start up again.

“First Kitagawa, now _her?”_

“Not surprised. Everyone knows she sleeps around.”

“But she’s _gay?”_

“Oh shit, look away!”

Haru’s furious now, sending the best glares she can manage towards her classmates, before finally looking back up to Niijima. She looks uncomfortable, but she spares a glance towards Makoto. Niijima shakes her head and goes behind her desk to organize her papers and writes something on a small slip of paper. She places this slip on the desk of the student who had called Yusuke… _that._

“Anyways, now that everyone is here, we can begin,” Niijima states simply.

The rest of her classes go by without any real incident, aside from having a piece of chalk thrown at her head when she finds herself daydreaming in the middle of the teacher from earlier, Ushimaru’s, lesson. She glares back at him with an unspeakable rage and answers his question without a second thought.

The cocky smirk on the man’s face vanishes and he mutters something about her paying attention.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

_April 11  
_ _Monday  
_ _Daytime  
_ _Shūjin Academy_

By the end of the school day, she’s nearly forgotten about her chaotic morning.

That is, until Yusuke is calling her name from down the hall as soon as she steps foot outside the classroom. A few students watch the boy with surprise, while others are already buzzing with interest.

Haru walks over to the smiling boy, who meets her halfway and pulls her to the side so other students can pass. She can’t help but smile right back.

“Hey, Haru-chan! Do you mind if I call you that? Is that okay? I can call you Iwai-senpai if you’d like, that wouldn’t be a problem, and-“ Haru quickly cuts him off by putting up a hand. “H-Haru-chan is f-fine, but… I-I’d prefer Haru…”

Yusuke nods, and gives her a thumbs-up. “Cool! Anyways…” Yusuke trails off and looks around, before ushering her outside and away from the curious students.

“They’re talking to one another?”

“You sure they aren’t dating?”

“Definitely not. I heard she’s dating Niijima-senpai.”

“Yeah? Well, I doubt that.”

“Why’s that?”

“We all know Niijima-senpai dates Kamoshida.”

Haru glances back at that and her eyebrows furrow. Niijima? Wait, no, not her teacher…

“Don’t mind them. This entire school’s just a rumor mill,” Yusuke spits out, and she can see his fists clench in annoyance. She hears him yell over his shoulder, “Hey! Don’t you guys have anything better to do? Buzz off!”

Haru sends him an appreciative smile, and they walk together to the train station. Yusuke’s talking to her, grasping for things to talk about, and she relents to ease his obvious anxiety. He’s asking her simple questions anyways, favorite color, favorite animal, et cetera, et cetera.

He takes some yen from his pockets, counts it up, and slides it into a nearby vending machine. He taps one of the buttons twice, and two cans roll out. He tosses her one and sits down against the wall.

Haru watches him in confusion, but then he pats the spot next to him. She carefully sits down, minding her skirt. She doesn’t want to flash anyone.

_Go away-_

_I can’t help it-_

_I didn’t ask for this._

“So, that place… and the guy… and the outfit…” Yusuke starts lamely, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, “was all of that stuff real? I mean, I hardly got sleep last night, but… that couldn’t have been a hallucination. You saw it all too, right?” He looks over to her with pleading eyes. She nods and takes out her phone.

“It was this, I-I think…” She says as she shows him the app with the creepy eye on it. Yusuke looks at the icon, and shudders.

“Looks like some weird occult shit…” He mutters, and Haru brightens.

“T-That’s what I-I thought! I t-tried to g-get rid of it t-the other day, b-but it wouldn’t go away,” Haru explains, and Yusuke frowns. He’s thinking to himself, one leg crossed while the other haphazardly sticks out. He pops open his drink and takes a sip.

“Well, huh… That is _so weird_. Plus, there was that weird kid, and the… what did you call that thing again?” He asks, looking over to her. Haru turns it over in her head, and hands Yusuke her drink when he goes to take it.

Pain, blood on her hands, dripping onto the floor, and then a blazing inferno that left her unharmed. Immeasurable power, a humanoid creature with bright yellow eyes that turned red, and a rifle for an arm.

_Lady Death._

_Her Persona._

The snap and hiss of the can opening allows her to come back to reality, and she thanks him as he hands it back to her.

“A-A persona, I t-think…” She trails off, and Yusuke bites his bottom lip. He holds his soda in one hand, and fiddles with one of his many ear piercings. One appears to be a black bird, while there’s also a rather cute white and red fox right above it. It completely throws off the aesthetic he’s very clearly trying to go with, but she can still appreciate his effort.

She takes a small sip from the can, and recoils at the sugar-filled taste. Haru sticks her tongue out, but quickly recovers and tries to take another sip as to not hurt Yusuke’s feelings.

“You don’t gotta force yourself,” Yusuke assures her with an amused smile. Haru shrugs, taking another sip while she stares at him. He gives her a confused look, unable to read her as she suddenly finds herself chugging the soda.

She wheezes as it’s finally empty, and Yusuke is also wheezing, albeit with laughter. Haru looks over to him, and lets out a quiet laugh she had no idea she was keeping in.

“Holy _shit,_ oh my god, are you _okay?”_ He asks, trying to calm himself down. A hand moves towards her face, and she instinctively grabs his wrist before it can get too close.

“Just peachy,” she replies, releasing his hand when she registers the look of surprise that crosses his face. Yusuke lets out a short laugh, and she can hear how its tinged with fear.

“Ah, alright. Anyways, I heard the rumors already. Is it true? Are you really here on probation?” He asks, and Haru feels her stomach drop at the question. She can hear his fear seeping through, a cautiousness that tells her that she can’t brush this off.

Haru nods with a terrible feeling in her gut, knowing what’s about to happen next. He’s going to ask what she did.

How did she get here, he’ll ask. What did she do to get probation? Are the rumors true?

_She’s being held down._

_He’s looking down at her with that smug look._

_Just leave just leave just leave-_

“Haru?” Yusuke whispers, and she _seethes_ at the genuine fear in his voice. She can feel the tears welling up in her eyes, molten hot and threatening to pour out. It feels as though everything’s starting to close in on her. Their little sitting space is too small, _too small!_

She feels numb, unable to stop herself from dropping the soda can and digging her fingernails into the palms of her hands. Haru feels her knuckles tremble with strain, and suddenly she feels _something_ , as her palms become warm and sticky, and when she looks down, she sees angry, red crescents where her nails had been.

She can’t hear what Yusuke is saying anymore. She stares down at the new markings on her palms. Nothing feels right. Her uniform is suffocating her. The turtleneck’s collar is wrapping around her neck even tighter, forcing her to gasp for air when it releases for just a split second.

Haru registers someone talking, and she looks around blindly. Everything is blurry, for some reason. It’s all hazy.

Her arms are trapped under two layers of a stuffy, uncomfortable uniform. There’s no one here, now. She’s all by herself, in a tight space, with no way of getting out. This was a mistake.

All of this was a mistake.

She grabs her head and digs her nails into her scalp. She hardly feels it, and now her face burns as if it’s been slapped. Her lungs are on fire. She feels light, but at the same time, too heavy to lift herself up.

She feels something take her arm and drag her to her feet. She looks to find that it’s a boy, and he’s _too close._

_Too close?_

_Just like-_

“Haru?! Okay, shit, uh, okay Yusuke, you can do this… Fuck, okay, let’s just… Get her home…” And then the world comes back, and she can hear someone sobbing. It takes her a few moments to realize that _she’s_ sobbing _._

Yusuke’s holding her up, and she wants him to _let her go._

“Haru, Haru, you gotta listen, where’s your train home?” He asks softly, and she wrenches herself from his grip. She’s _furious._

 _“Stop touching me!”_ She screams. She expects him to get mad, to yell and call her a bitch, but all that follows is deafening silence, and Yusuke is staring at her in shock.

She realizes that she’s causing a scene.

People are watching them.

_All eyes on her-_

_“Damn slut! I’ll sue!”_

 Yusuke takes a step back, and Haru feels herself shaking. She wants to throw up. She fucked this up already, and now Yusuke won’t talk to her ever again, and any hopes she had of having a _normal fucking year_ are just washed down the drain.

“Haru, look at me,” Yusuke’s voice rings through her head, and her eyes snap up to look at him. He’s not scared, but he’s definitely concerned _._ “I want to walk you home. Where’s your station?”

So, she tells him. And as they’re walking, Yusuke stays quiet. He doesn’t pry, he just quietly walks next to her, and acts almost as a shield from other people when they’re on the train.

She honestly appreciates it. Her entire body is still jittery, and her palms are burning from the shallow cuts in her palms.

When they get to Yongen-Jaya, Yusuke struggles to keep up with her. She needs to get back to the café, go upstairs, and forget today ever happened. Yusuke calls her name, and she stops.

She doesn’t know why.

She’s nearly there. She’s just at the old man’s little antique shop. All she has to do is take a right and keep going until she sees the red awning.

But the desperation in Yusuke’s voice makes her stop, and she waits for him to catch up. He wheezes as he finally does and massages his right knee.

“Okay, now… Where do you live?” He asks innocently, looking around at the neighborhood in wonder. “This place looks so packed! I like it.”

Haru motions for him to follow her ( _finally_ , she’s leading him), and he looks up quizzically at Dumas’s red awning when they get there. He lets out a laugh, looking around. “Why are we going for coffee?” He asks, and Haru lets out a sigh. She pushes open the door, and holds it open for Yusuke to follow after. She can feel Iwai’s glare on the back of her neck as she motions around, choosing not to face him at the moment.

“T-This is where I-I live, f-for right n-now…” She explains to him, and Yusuke blinks. Then he blinks again. Suddenly, his eyes widen, and he glances around quickly.

“Wait, seriously? That’s… so cool!” He gushes, stopping as he catches sight of Iwai, assumedly.

When Haru turns to face the counter, she can see how his arms are crossed over his chest, stern and utterly unhappy.

“I got a call from the school today,” he starts, and Haru sits down at one of the stools. Yusuke stands awkwardly in the doorway, jumping out of the way when said door opens and a woman wearing a doctor’s coat comes in. She sits down at a booth, and nods at Iwai. He notices her, nodding back, but then looks right back at Haru.

“Where were you?! Four hours late, on your first day! You left here early as hell, too. What, were you doin’ drugs with this punk? Gettin’ wasted instead of goin’ to school?” Yusuke’s face goes red at that, and he’s at Haru’s side in an instant.

“Don’t go around assuming like that! You’re an adult, aren’t you?” Yusuke demands, “Haru was having trouble get there, and… she had a panic attack. We were late because of me. I was stupid, and I helped her get to somewhere more private to calm down.” Iwai’s shoulders go lax, and he sends her a concerned glance.

“Panic attack?...” Iwai mutters. He almost looks embarrassed as he looks at her, and notices how puffy her eyes are. “Wait, were you cryin’?”

“I… may have asked her something she was uncomfortable with. I didn’t know, sir. I just… was curious. And, well, I wanted to make sure she didn’t walk home by herself,” Yusuke explains. Haru glances back to see his face is serious.

Yusuke and Iwai stare at one another for longer than Haru feels comfortable with, but finally, Iwai lets up. He starts making some coffee for the woman who walked in a few minutes ago, and Haru’s just now noticing her.

“Sounds like a form of anxiety,” the woman comments, standing from her seat and moving to sit next to Haru. She appears exhausted, but then she gives Haru a smirk that tells her that this is “the norm”.

She wears a long, white doctor’s coat, but the rest of her attire fails to back up the possibility of her having any sort of work near pharmaceuticals or medical equipment. She appears to have a pastel pink choker on with a black pentagram charm on it, and the woman’s hair is dyed. It’s pastel purple and fades into black at the ends.

She appears to be wearing a pastel yellow sweater that has what Haru can only assume is the word “SLEEP” etched on the front in a cartoonish font. In English. The letters are all smushed together, and “drip” down the front of her sweater. She also has a black skirt with white stars and planets printed, and it goes right above her knees.

The woman swings her legs back and forth, and Haru notices how she wears black tights and heels that look like Chuck-Taylors in heel form. They’re a soft purple to match the woman’s hair.

She notices Haru’s stare, but she doesn’t mind. She crosses her legs and thanks Iwai with a soft smile. Finally, she turns to face Haru with that same smile.

“I’m Sadayo Kawakami. I run a clinic just down the street. I may not appear so, but I am indeed a doctor,” the woman explains, stirring her coffee with a spoon that Iwai offers her as soon as she simply puts out a hand. “I’m rather surprised by your appearance, though. From the way Mune-san described you, I nearly thought you’d come in with your head shaved and bleached. Instead, you’re obviously someone who’s been through some stuff you’d rather not talk about.”

Haru nods in agreement. Yeah, she’d prefer not to. But, Yusuke’s still here. He’s waiting for something. He’s checking the time every once in a while, but otherwise, he’s patiently waiting.

“Y-Yusuke, let’s… go u-upstairs. I-I w-w-wanted to talk some m-more with you…” She says to the boy, who nods and goes straight towards the stairway. As Haru stands, she feels a hand on her forearm. Looking back, it’s the Kawakami woman.

“If you ever need someone to talk to, I’ll be in my clinic. It’s right down the street.”

Haru pauses as she looks over the woman once again, but finally nods. “A-Alright…”

She jogs over to Yusuke, and he lets her go in front of him as they walk up the stairs. He looks around in wonder as he gets to the top and gives her a smile.

“This is so cool, Haru! This place is like… Half the size of my entire apartment,” he mutters the last part, frowning to himself. Haru chooses not to react, and instead sits down on her bed with her legs crossed. Yusuke walks over to join her.

The bed dips with his weight, and he finally turns to face her.

“So… what’s up? Whatever happened at the train station, don’t worry about it! You don’t have to tell me anything. I’m really sorry for prying,” Yusuke says, rubbing the back of his neck. A nervous tic, she thinks. She shakes her head, taking off her glasses and looking down at the frames in disgust. Just more proof of her situation, of what her father as done to make sure she isn’t recognized.

“I-I should tell you… Just, god, i-it’s a lot… You’re t-the first person I-I’ve told this s-story to… And, w-well, you c-can’t tell anyone about this…” She says, looking over at him with a deep seriousness.

He doesn’t even hesitate. He’s already nodding.

“Of course, Haru. I’ve hardly known you for even… Well, hardly twelve hours, but you’re the first person who’s given me the light of day since, well… the middle of my first year,” Yusuke assures, his hand subconsciously going to his right knee. She’ll need to ask about that when she isn’t about to pour out her heart and soul. “I’d never do anything to hurt you, I promise. I’ve spent a long time protecting the people I care about. While I’ve definitely lost some along the way, I don’t want to risk that with you. I’ll be here for you, no matter what.”

She feels something on her face, and Haru realizes that she’s crying again. But she’s not sad. No, not at all. For once, she feels _happy._

Happy that someone is here for her.

Happy that she won’t be alone for the year.

Happy that she has… a _friend._

Well, she might as well tell him, then. But, she amends, he’ll be the only one. Why she decides this, she does not know. But, perhaps it will be their little secret. Something that she’ll share with others if she decides she can trust them.

“A-About, um, three months ago, I was at a party. M-My father i-is very influential, and he has some i-interest in b-becoming more so…” And the night becomes clearer as she recalls it, and at one point, Yusuke takes her hand, squeezing it in support.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

She was wearing a pink dress that night, one of her favorite colors, in fact. Surrounded by her father’s associates, and those she did not recognize. She could only assume that they were politicians.

Talking with them was draining. She felt as though she were kissing up to them, doing as her father had ordered.

It was during one of these conversations that a man she did not know suggested that they talk in a more private area. While everything had screamed for her not to, she complied. Her father watched as they left the main area and moved to a more secluded area.

He made no move to stop them.

_"He let this happen. Not you, rebenok. You are not at fault."_

As she walked into the bedroom, she could hear the door close behind them and the click of a lock made her stomach flip.

She was going to die here. Or, so she had thought.

She wished she had.

He had pinned her down on the bed and ripped away everything. Well, almost. Right before he had taken her, she found something in her to push him away. She remembered how her fist had connected with his jaw.

It had felt _right._

But then, the commotion had led her father to the room. The man unlocked the door, yelling to him about how _she_ had done all of this. This was _her_ fault.

Her father promised to neutralize any news coverage, and so he did.

 _"No one to save you, rebenok. How cruel of him._ _"_  

And as she sat in that courtroom for a mere thirty-two minutes, wishing for anything but to be there, she finally realized something.

 

 

She couldn’t remember that man’s face or name.

 

 

And then, it was over.

The judge had made his decision, – _The incorrect one, I believe_ – and she was helpless as to what would happen next.

One year of probation.

She remembered plans of avoiding any trouble and just sending her to the juvenile hall. _Luckily for you, someone was there._

Yes, there had been. A student under the artist Ichiryusai Madarame, an acquaintance of her father’s, knew the owner of a coffee shop who was willing to take care of her.

_Munehisa Iwai._

The same man who stood in the café below, trying to process the gravity of her panic attack, of the obvious delinquent she had brought home with her. His defensiveness, but obvious care. That boy had probably done this his entire life.

A new school.

An absolute hell, but one that would be bearable, now that Haru had a friend. _Yusuke Kitagawa._

She had saved his life in that strange world, and they had gotten out by sheer dumb luck in the form of a boy named Goro. Yusuke said he had been protecting people all his life, right?

Well, she promised herself she would protect him as well.

A new start.

Yes, a new start.

Her heart flutters at the thought, of a bond, and a part of her soul seems to reach out at that prospect. But then it retracts, and it rests deep within her chest. _Not quite yet._

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

_April 11  
_ _Monday  
_ _Evening  
_ _Dumas _Café__

As she finally finishes her story, Yusuke looks furious. He jumps to his feet, whipping back to look at her.

“Who the hell’s your dad? I’ll kick his ass for lettin’ this happen to you! No friend of mine shoulda dealt with this bullshit!” He exclaims, and Haru shushes him rather quickly. There are still customers downstairs, she rationalizes. She doesn’t want to anger Iwai.

Yusuke gives her a disbelieving look, but sighs and runs a hand over his face. Miraculously, the eyeshadow does not smear. He sits back down next to her, and she puts his hand over his. He looks down, and smiles. Suddenly, it disappears as he hangs his head.

“I’m sorry if I’m too touchy. My mom says I can get really overbearing… and I know that not everybody’s okay with it. I guess it’s just a habit,” he explains, moving his hand away to check the time on his phone. He lets out a gasp and grabs his bag.

Haru tilts her head in question, and he motions his hands around, obviously trying to find the right words.

“I gotta get to my job. My boss’ll be pissed if I’m late… again? No, not again, that was with the beef bowl shop… it’s the convenience store tonight…” He’s mumbling now, but Haru gently leads him out. He thanks her, and she watches as he speed-walks his way towards the station.

“Seems like a nice kid.” Iwai’s voice cuts through her thoughts. She looks around to find that there aren’t any customers now. It’s just them.

Iwai washes his hands, drying them off with a towel. His expression is unreadable as he places a plate of curry on the counter.

“Eat up. This’ll be your dinner, for tonight at least. You can make what you want after this. I’ll make you breakfast, if you really need it, just…” Iwai trails off, watching as Haru slowly walks over and sits down. He seems to appreciate that she’s listening to him right now.

“Just remember your situation. I can’t cover for you all the time. Visit Kawakami when you’ve got the time. She’s kind of a whackjob, or so I’ve heard, but she’s definitely good at what she does. Makes her own medicine,” he tells her, putting on a jacket and the hat he wore yesterday. “Well, I’m leavin’. Lock up the shop for me, will ya? And put those dishes away when you’re done.”

She nods, and she finishes her dinner rather quickly. She washes her dishes and puts them away, just as she was asked, and locks the front door. Flipping off the lights, she suddenly notices a small piece of paper.

_Here’s my number. Call me if you need anything. -Boss/uncle_

She smiles and puts his number and name into her contact list before finally going upstairs.

She hardly changes into her night clothes and lays down before exhaustion overtakes her.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

The sound of a piano and an operatic voice bring Haru from her rest, and she groans. She can hear the clanking of chains as she sits up.

And her day had ended so perfectly. She isn’t in the mood to talk to this “Igor” fellow and the warden, who may or may not have some sort of prison kink. Her face scrunches up at that thought. _Ew._

A baton clangs on the cell’s bars, and, oh joy, it seems that the warden is going to have attitude.

Well, two can play at that game.

“On your feet, inmate! You’d better pay attention, or else!” Yuuki hisses, watching as she gets to her feet. He sneers at the smile on her face.

“”Or else” what?” She quips, but she obeys anyways. Igor chuckles before Yuuki can yell any more abuses in her face.

“First off, let us celebrate our reunion,” it begins, before leaning in closer on the desk. It does not react physically, but she supposes its monotone inflection does seem surprised. “Oh? So you’ve awakened to your powers, and very special ones at that. Finally, your rehabilitation may begin.”

“My… p-powers?” Haru finds herself asking, to which Yuuki nods. Igor hardly even moves, but it does continue speaking.

“There is no need to learn all of it at this very moment, but you have gained the power of Persona, which was awakened within you. Your Persona is your “mask”, the armor of your heart when confronting worldly matters. I have high expectations for you.”

She slowly nods, unable to wrap her head around this completely, but it does make some sense. Perhaps it’s just Lady Death’s presence that makes it feasible.

“By the by… have you come to appreciate the Metaverse Navigator?” Igor asks, and Haru tilts her head and narrows her eyes.

“T-The… the w-what?”

“It will allow you to travel between reality and Palaces, the place you went to before this current meeting. I bestowed that tool to you as a means to train you to become a thief. Use it well,” it explains, and Yuuki suddenly lets out a sigh.

“In order to fully utilize this tool, it is imperative that you train with it. Devote yourself, so that you may become a fine thief,” he says with an indifferent expression. It twists into contempt, but Igor waves him off before he says anything.

“Using the Metaverse Navigator alone must be disheartening. Therefore, if you find those who are beneficial to your rehabilitation, I will grant them this power as well. This is all for your pursuit in becoming a most excellent thief,” it says, unflinching as a bell echoes through the chamber. Yuuki looks up before finally looking back at her.

“It is time, inmate. Go back to sleep, and may you enjoy whatever remnants of it are remaining,” he advises before suddenly beating his baton against the bars. “Just do it, and hopefully you can actually talk next time!”

She lays back down on the cold slab of stone, and finds herself rather easily falling back asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gladiolus flower represents strength of character, faithfulness, sincerity, and integrity. Additionally, it can symbolize honor. With Yusuke’s character in this chapter, I felt that it was fitting to give it this name. Additionally, it takes a lot of guts to be friends with a rumored criminal, and still treat said person normally. A fun fact about these flowers is that the gladiolus was once considered the flower of the gladiators, and are commonly associated with swords due to their appearance.   
> Hoped you liked the fourth chapter. Almost didn’t expect to get this far, actually. My ADHD is weird in the sense that when I hyperfixate on things, I’ll get really into it, but then after a while I lose that spark and I’m back to not caring about it.   
> In any case, YEEHAW! WELCOME! I had a bit of trouble with the name for this one, and I’ll probably say this for every chapter from now on, aside from the chapters about taking down each palace. Those ones already have their names chosen.   
> In other news, we finally get to find out what happened to Haru, and… I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Why must I make you hurt?  
> Yusuke’s a sweetheart. Need I say more?   
> Chapter 5 will definitely look into this part of Yusuke’s character. I can’t wait for that one to come out.  
> Also, hey there, Kawakami! Are you our Death Arcana? Hell yeah you are!  
> I wanted to use a style that’s similar to Takemi’s punk style? Except now it’s pastel goth. I don’t know, I always just kind of imagined her to like that style. It’s cute, my dudes. Real cute.  
> Also, I apologize for the late update. It’s mainly my fault. I don’t know why, but I get a lot more done when I have actual work to do. Christmas and spring break are killers because I seem to lose my drive. Additionally, the first week back to school has been a real pain. I also am in my school’s musical, and our performances are at the end of January, so that’s also been slowing me down.  
> Anyways, this fic has a tumblr, which can be found @ofphantomsanddaffodils. I’ll hopefully upload some sketches on there sometime soon, and y’all can see the cast so far. Disclaimer, I’m absolutely awful at drawing dudes, so no pictures of Iwai… yet. We’ll get there soon, hopefully.  
> Enough of my rambling. I’ll see you all some time next week, probably. I’ll be working to catch up and get back on schedule, so back to a chapter every other week. Apologies once again for the delay. I wanted to make sure this chapter was perfect in transmitting the intended emotions, and to cement the new bond between Haru and Yusuke.


	5. Edelweiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, everyone! Welcome to (according to my schedule) an on-time update! With this, the next chapter will hopefully be out in two weeks. Thank you all so much for reading this fic. It really does mean a lot. Having 45 kudos and over 500 hits really does warm my heart.  
> Anyways, onto the chapter!

_April 12_  
_Tuesday_  
_Early Morning  
Dumas Café_

Waking up the next morning, Haru feels drained, as if she truly hasn’t gotten any sleep whatsoever, but she does get up and get ready with a sense of teenage reluctance that she’s completely unfamiliar with.

She checks her phone to find that the strange app that’s been haunting her for the past two days remains there. The “Metaverse Navigator,” as Igor called it. The eye stares back at her, and she checks her messaging app, not only because there’s a notification for a few unread messages, but also so she could _not_ look at that.

 

 _Yusuke: Good morning, Haru! Let’s try not to be late today! (￣▽￣)ノ_  
_Yusuke: And, if you want, we should try to figure out what that castle was!_  
_Yusuke: Because I’m worried that we weren’t the only ones in there!  
Yusuke: What if there are others? I don’t want to stand by and let them suffer!_

 

Haru turns these messages over in her head, and yeah, that does make sense. Yusuke told her last night that he was used to protecting people. It made sense he’d want to help more people. She smiles at Yusuke’s use of an emoticon. It’s kind of cute, if she had to admit.

 

 _Haru: yes, that sounds good to me.  
_ _Haru: maybe we could also look for that boy?_

 

Three dots appear almost instantly, but Haru realizes that she needs to leave. She eats breakfast without really tasting it and races out the door. However, this time, she remembers her umbrella.

The train ride is fine, albeit crowded and stuffy beyond belief. She spots a few Shūjin students, but they’re all staring at her with wide eyes. Haru hugs her bag close to her chest and tries to make herself as small as possible.  

As she leaves the train station, she spots Yusuke by the entryway, patiently waiting. He’s staring down at his phone with a worried expression on his face. As she walks up to him, he relaxes. Yusuke gives her a smile and glances around before looking towards the entryway to the station.

From where she’s standing, she can very clearly see that it’s raining.

“So… would it be okay if we shared? I don’t have an umbrella, and… today you remembered yours. I think it’d be beneficial for both of us. I get to stay dry, and you don’t have to carry this thing around,” Yusuke explains eagerly.

Haru accepts, but she does so without a second thought. Weird. Yusuke definitely looks tired, but as if he’s put on some concealer to hide the possible bags under his eyes.

Yusuke yawns, but he quickly tries to hide this face by running his hand up his face and through his hair. An ungraceful transition, but Haru chooses not to comment on it for his pride’s sake.

“Anyways, did you see my texts? If you didn’t, that’s okay. Mornings are rough,” he comments, to which she shakes her head. No, she honestly forgot to check them again. She isn’t used to having people text her regularly.

Yusuke shrugs at her response. “Oh, that’s alright. I just said that maybe we… shouldn’t? Look for that kid? He seemed rather polite, but I hardly know him. How do we know we can trust him?”

Haru looks over to him with a mischievous grin. “W-Well, how do y-you know you c-can trust me?” Yusuke hesitates with her reply, and actually stops to think. He looks her up and down, but then shrugs.

“I’d like to say that I have a good judge of character. Now I do, at least… you saved my life, anyways. I’m not saying that I owe you a ‘life debt’, but you doing that showed me that you cared,” Yusuke explains, resuming their walk together.

Haru nods in understanding, looking down at her phone. She can see Yusuke’s messages now, but then remembers her dream from the night before. She wants to tell him about the blue prison with the monster-man, but she decides against it.

She doesn’t want him to think she’s crazy.

As they walk up the steps, she spots Kamoshida out of the corner of her eye. He’s greeting students with a carefree smile and laughing as he gives a few male students a slap on the back that they all seem to wince from.

His expression changes as he spots the two, and she instantly grabs Yusuke’s wrist. He told her he’d protect her, but she knows already that Yusuke has a temper. If something goes wrong, she needs to be there for him.

“Ah, the two school delinquents decided to show up on time today. I’m surprised you can actually listen to orders!” The man jeers, to which Yusuke’s hand seizes upwards. Haru catches his arm, and he whips around the glare at her. He softens his gaze almost immediately and drops his fist.

“You’d be surprised by a lot of things, Kamoshida. Come on, Haru. Let’s go,” Yusuke spits out with a huff. Before they can go in, though, Kamoshida puts out an arm to block their way.

“Keep out of trouble, got it? We don’t need useless throwaways like you ruining the school’s image. Then again, Kitagawa, you sort of ruin it by existing. And get that look off your face, Iwai. It irritates me,” Haru doesn’t realize that she’s glaring until Kamoshida points it out. It surprises her, but she doesn’t let it show.

“I-Is that all? W-We would like t-to go to class,” she responds with as much indifference she can muster. Kamoshida noticeably bristles at her tone. She resists the urge to hang her head low and apologize quickly. Instead, she gives him a facetious smile and navigates both herself and Yusuke to walk around Kamoshida’s arm and enter the school.

He hands her the umbrella, which she makes sure to shake off before they really go in.

“Thanks for that, Haru. If you hadn’t been there, then… I don’t know what I’d do,” Yusuke mutters with a small huff. Haru doesn’t say anything, instead thinking over Kamoshida’s words. What did he mean by _existence_? It probably had to do with the way Yusuke dressed, but… there were others who were practically out of uniform.

Hell, Yusuke took the initiative to button up his blazer. Yes, he may have been wearing a black turtleneck to further support his whole punk style, but it still fit with the uniform. If anything, he was probably more “in-uniform” than others. But, she can’t think about these things. She couldn’t set Yusuke off.

They both walk to class 3-C, where Yusuke waves her goodbye and jogs upstairs to the second-year hallway.

Stepping into class, any chatter that may have been going on is instantly gone. Everyone is silent as she strides to her seat and sits down.

The day goes by quickly, and she’s relieved when it’s finally over. She’s not used to the gossip yet, and she notices how other students move out of the way when they see her walking by.

She feels like she has some sort of infectious disease as she makes her way to classroom 2-D, the one that Yusuke told her was his.

Stepping in, she notices all of the wary glances that are thrown her way. As per usual, the chatter stops. She finds Yusuke sitting in the back on his phone, tapping away quickly. He has a concentrated frown on his face, and he looks up when he hears a phone ding.

It’s her phone.

Yusuke’s face flushes with embarrassment as Haru checks the message anyways.

 

_Yusuke: Are you ready? BECAUSE I’M READY! ୧☉□☉୨_

 

“Sorry, must not have heard you come in. Anyways, let’s go,” he says shortly, getting to his feet. Haru follows after him, but not before noticing a girl sitting at her desk, staring intently down at it. She has straight, dark brown hair, and her eyes appear to be a deep, dark green. What worries Haru most, however, is the obvious bruises on her face, and the bandage on her cheek.

She’s tempted to ask how the girl got them, but Yusuke is already down the hallway before she can make any sort of attempt. 

Haru spots the girl from Sunday, Futaba, talking to another student as she and Yusuke climb up the stairs. Futaba makes direct eye contact with Haru and promptly excuses herself from the conversation she had been having.

“Kitagawa-kun, Iwai-senpai,” she calls, forcing both to stop. Yusuke looks just about ready to dash the rest of the way. Haru gently takes his wrist and taps it with her thumb. He relaxes at that and sighs dramatically.

“Fine, whatever. What do you want, kid?” He asks with little regard, obviously oblivious to the girl’s position.

Futaba seems to take offense to this. Her face goes red for a few moments, and she clenches her fist. “You! – No, Futaba, calm down. He doesn’t know,” she mutters to herself. Yusuke looks towards Haru with a questioning look.

“First off, you shouldn’t address me as “kid’. My name is Futaba Sakura, and I’m your student council president,” she quips with a knowing smirk as Yusuke sputters in disbelief. “and secondly, Mr. Kamoshida told me how you two talked to him this morning. It reflects on the school badly if anyone finds out that you two got away with disrespecting a teacher. Consider this a warning, and don’t let it happen again. Cause any trouble and it’s probably over for both of you.”

Yusuke lets out a disbelieving laugh. “A first year, and she’s already brainwashed. Listen, ‘prez’, you may be a leader right now, but try not to mess up. You falter even once, and everyone will be after you. Now, if you will _excuse us_ , we should get going!” With that, Yusuke is pulling Haru upstairs.

She hears Futaba squeak in surprise as they do so. “Hey!” the girl exclaims, and her footsteps are heard as she runs after them, “The rooftop is off-limits!”

But Yusuke pulls open the door to the rooftop anyways and slams it behind them. Haru jumps back when she hears Futaba’s fists hitting the door. Yusuke locks the door and runs over to a setup with a few overturned desks and a table.

“Over here!” He calls, and Haru runs over to the pile with him. She quickly takes out her phone, hands trembling as she taps onto the “Metaverse Navigator”. The door’s handle jangles as she presses on the bookmarked location named “Castle of Lust”.

The world distorts, and Haru sees the door burst open right before she disappears.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 12_  
_Tuesday_  
_After School  
Castle of Lust(?)_

The school shifts and morphs around them, and suddenly they’re at the entryway to the castle. Yusuke looks around in awe, eyes shining with excitement as he dashes up to check on the two front doors they walked through yesterday. He frowns when they don’t budge.

“That’s… strange. We were able to go in yesterday, right? Why can’t we get in like before?!” he demands, whipping around to face her. He yells and falls back when he looks at her. She tilts her head in question, to which he gives a vague, panicked gesture towards her clothing.

With a frown, she looks at her hands, and- ah. Now she understands.

“You’re wearing that get-up again! Not that it doesn’t look nice, but…” Yusuke looks away, trying to process everything. Haru lets herself smirk at the boy’s confusion, adjusting the mask that now adorns her face.

“You jelly?” she inquires with a smirk. Yusuke whips his head around to look at her incredulously.

“Uh… no? Do you actually _like it?!”_  He squawks, watching in disbelief as she nods and twirls, the cloak on her back making her feel that much more extra as it flows after her. She enjoys the feeling.

“Sort of? I-I mean, i-it fits,” she replies, jumping with a squeak as a voice from above calls down.

“Hush, both of you! Please, refrain from talking so loudly,” the voice scolds, and down comes Goro, giving both a disapproving look. But then, his expression changes as he realizes why they’ve probably returned. “Ah, I see. You’re here to learn more, yes?” He smiles when they both nod, but then Yusuke pauses.

“Well, I also wanted to find out if there’s anyone else down in those dungeons… I want to expose Kamoshida for all the bullshit he’s done!” Yusuke exclaims, and Goro exasperatedly slaps a hand over the boy’s mouth.

“What did I just say?” He demands quietly, glancing over to Haru, who stays where she’s standing to observe herself a bit more. Yesterday’s emotions trumped a look-over of her sweet new outfit. She subconsciously unbuttons the top button of the uniform when she realizes that it’s a bit stifling. There’s a black undershirt, thankfully.

Yusuke mutters out a reluctant apology, fidgeting with one of his ear piercings. He sends her a meaningful glance, going from her to the castle and cocking his head towards it.

“W-We should head in… G-Goro, you can lead us t-to the dungeons, r-right?” Haru asks, and the boy nods with a polite smile.

“Yes, indeed. Come along. Try not to be too loud. That’s to you, Grimdark,” Goro replies with a small wave for them to follow him. Yusuke sputters in offense and nearly yells after him. Haru, thankfully, pats him on the shoulder and reminds him to stay quiet. They enter in through the same small tunnel from yesterday and make their way down to the dungeons. As they do so, however, Goro rather suddenly stops.

He turns to a pair of doors and pushes them open. He grins and nods to himself, walking in. They follow in after him, and Yusuke sways with obvious nausea. “Ugh, okay, this room? Sucks. I don’t like it, whatever’s going on with it.”

Goro snickers under his breath, but quickly covers it with his hand. “Of course, you wouldn’t understand. This is what I prefer to call a safe room. In places such as these, Kamoshida’s cognition is especially weak.” With that, Haru raised her hand as if to ask a question.

“Yes, a-about that… What e-even _is_  this place?” she questions, watching as the boy rocks back and forth on his heels. He snaps his finger in realization with wide eyes.

“Oh, right! I should have done that. My mistake, Miss?…“ “Haru.” “Ah, Miss Haru-chan! Well, this place exists within the mind of whoever controls it. So, you could say that this is Kamoshida’s mind. His distorted desires have made this place. Whatever came before this castle, Kamoshida’s desires have made it into what you see now. So, you could say that he sees your school as a castle. This place and your school are the same.”

“S-So, this is K-Kamoshida’s mind? What are t-the creatures? The o-ones with t-the masks?” Haru asks, to which Goro nods in understanding.

“Those are what I refer to as Shadows. They’re all parts of Kamoshida’s cognition. They’re almost like security cameras, I suppose. If they see you, it will become harder to traverse this place. Which is why we must be as stealthy as possible,” Goro explains, giving Yusuke a confused glance as the boy began to rummage around in his bag.

Yusuke smiles as he seems to find something and pulls it out.

Before Haru can freak out and demand how the _hell_ he had managed to acquire a _pistol_ , Lady Death pipes up and soothes her.

_Ah, a model handgun. Not as powerful as the sniper rifle I gave you, but effective nonetheless. You won’t need it, rebenok._

“I saw that you had a gun, so I thought I should probably carry one around too? I mean, it’s just a model, but I thought it’d be good to use!” Yusuke explains with a grin, to which Haru nods and smiles back. Goro rolls his eyes and peeks his head out of the safe room.

A few moments pass, and he swings the doors open for them to follow after him. They arrive at the dungeons rather quickly, and Haru even gets to learn a bit more from Goro as he demonstrates hiding and sneaking from one point to another in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately for Yusuke, he had to wait until they had initiated an attack on an unassuming Shadow to come out from around the counter.

In a surprising turn of events, it turned out that Yusuke’s fake pistol was able to shoot real bullets, which startled both her and Goro. He had squawked and demanded to have the taller boy’s gun, but Yusuke simply held it over his head and laughed.

As they finally reach the dungeons, Yusuke makes a startling realization.

“Huh? My phone doesn’t have any service… Hey! I can’t go to my camera! And now, that same app’s here… Damn, this sucks…” Yusuke complains, but stops as a scream echoes through the dungeons.

Yusuke’s running off before they can stop him, and he’s staring down in horror at a scene down below.

A few boys hang from their ankles on ropes suspended from the ceiling. Their wrists are tied behind their backs, and, oh, oh _no._

They’re being pelted by volleyballs, swinging back and forth like pendulums. Their bruises are a mix of dark blues and blacks They have spots where their skin is yellow, healing bruises that will inevitably be covered once again by angry red that cools into sad blue. Haru puts a hand over her mouth to keep the bile from rising in her throat.

Yusuke’s face is pale and slowly going green. He averts his eyes with a troubled expression. His fists clench and he put a hand to his temple. With a deep breath, Yusuke looks back with some sort of determination. He winces as another volleyball hits one of the boys.

“I know those two. If we can’t take pictures, we may as well try to memorize their faces,” he mutters. Goro nods right back with a smile that seems completely inappropriate, given the situation.

It’s bright and happy.

“Ah, wonderful idea… Yusuke-kun, right?” Yusuke nods in response, moving on from the current cell to the next.

“You said that this is Kamoshida’s… cogni-something, right?-“ “Cognition.” “I said that. Anyways, I was planning on getting these guys out… But, if they’re a part of Kamoshida’s cognition, then they aren’t real. Yet, they reflect what Kamoshida is doing to his players, yeah? So, all I have to do is memorize their faces, and we can talk to them tomorrow,” Yusuke explains, looking over to Haru for approval. She nods in agreement, and he lets out a short sigh of relief. “Okay, great. I’ll try to hurry.”

And, he does. They watch as the guards beat down students, some of the others being run on treadmills with papers dangling in front of them. Haru has a feeling that they’re probably scholarships, which makes her feel sick to her stomach.

What makes her more nervous, however, is the fact that they do not encounter a single girl in the dungeons. The words from the day before makes her gag in disgust as she realizes their true meaning. _Queens. Strugglers. King Kamoshida._

That version of Makoto was how Kamoshida saw the girl, right?

Disgusting.

They exit the dungeons and end up right in the entrance hall, still wide and decorated with that velvet red carpet, and the painting of Kamoshida at the base of two staircases. But, she can sense something. Goro seems to feel it too, and harshly pushes her away as a series of Shadows emerge from the ground. It doesn’t do much to help as the guards surround them, and Yusuke uselessly flails for his pistol.

“Where’d they come from?! Haru, croc-boy, use your Perso-whatevers!” Yusuke exclaims, his hands trembling as he takes a shot at one of the sets of armor. Haru realizes that he’s subconsciously put himself in front of her. They both duck their heads as the bullet doesn’t pierce through the armor, and instead ricochets off.

“Ah, you knaves again? Didn’t I tell you that any and all trespassers would be executed?” It’s Kamoshida’s voice that distracts Haru from this fact, and right to the base of the two staircases. The man stands there, but those dark brown eyes are instead bright yellow. Just like the day before.

And… he’s wearing a pink speedo.

_Gross._

“We were just leaving, actually!” Goro pipes up, but the guards come in closer. She and Goro call for Lady Death and Bass Reeves respectively, but she realizes now that they’re sorely outnumbered. She noticed it as they were going through the dungeons, but the surge of power from yesterday is not there anymore.

Lady Death can only do so much to protect her from the hits that are being thrown her way. She yells out commands that feel meaningless. As she takes ahold of the gun that materializes on her back, a foot kicks out her knees. She falls rather ungracefully next to Goro, who had fallen down quite a while ago.

She can hear Yusuke yelling and flailing about as the guards take ahold of him and throw him to the side. Kamoshida lets out a laugh and walks lazily down the stairs, outstretching his arms.

“Look around, _Natsumi_ . This is all your fault _._ If you had just ignored this, you could have lived! You get to watch as you fail yet another group of friends,” Kamoshida laughs, and Haru feels her blood go cold.

Wait, _what?_

Yusuke winces as he stands back up. He glares at Kamoshida with defiant eyes and yells, “It’s Yusuke!”

“How long are you going to keep this up? I got _so sick_ of that when you were on the dance team. Natsumi Kitagawa, the girl who wanted to be a boy. It’s disgusting. Why can’t you accept that you’re supposed to be a woman?” The man sneers, and Yusuke looks as though he’s on the verge of tears. His face is bright red with mortification, but Haru can see how his fists are clenched.

“Because, I’m not! That just isn’t me! Natsumi has never _been_ me! And, I don’t need you to try and keep that part of me!” Yusuke responds, angrily wiping away tears with the back of his gloved hand.

Kamoshida lets out a cackle and waves him off. “It doesn’t matter, either way. You’re going to die here, all because you couldn’t keep your damn mouth shut. You know, the dance team probably would have done rather well if you hadn’t gotten in the way. You wouldn’t be regarded as the traitor that you are today.”

Haru glances over to Yusuke once more, to find that the boy is frozen where he stands. The pistol clatters to the ground.

“Shut your mouth! You just didn’t like our team! You tried to hurt my friends, and I couldn’t stand for that,” Yusuke responds with an undeniable fire in his eyes.

“How unfortunate they didn’t recognize the sentiment. You really were set up to succeed, but you just _had_ to say something. I always hated your defiant nature. When you come from a broken home and a completely incapable mother, I suppose behavioral issues are bound to occur,” Kamoshida let out a sigh. Haru weakly tries to grasp her rifle, which is _so close to her,_ but a guard steps on her wrist before she can do so. She looks up to check on Yusuke.

She regrets her decision.

Yusuke is furious as he seethes, “Don’t talk about her like that! She’s doing the best she can with what time she has left!”

_What._

“That’s no excuse, you little wench. Not that it matters, anyways. You’ve spent your entire life trying to mend the wounds of your allies, yet you’ve always been lacking. Now, you can watch as your final failure results in the deaths of the people you care about! They will die, and you will be unable to stop it.”

She is going to die here.

_She is going to die here._

She doesn’t want to die.

A sword’s silhouette rises over her head.

Lady Death cries out in protest, grasps her soul in skeletal fingers and tries pulling at nonexistent strands of resolve.

The creature finds it, and Haru supports herself slightly with her elbows as she calls out to her friend, “D-Don’t let this end s-so soon, Yusuke! Show him w-what you’re made of.”

Yusuke’s head snaps up at her voice, so confident and sure of herself.

She watches as he reclaims his pistol and points it at Kamoshida.

“You’re right, Haru. Let’s do this!” With that, Yusuke lets out a pained gasp. He grasps the pistol with white knuckles, as if it was a lifeline. He fires off another shot, but this one pierces through the armor of a Shadow. The armor shrieks and explodes into pieces of hot shrapnel.

From her position on the ground, she can feel the heat emanating off of the metal.

 _“So sure, art thou? It has taken far too long, mon ami. It is time we forged a contract.”_  It is a voice that not only Yusuke can hear, but Haru as well. Goro seems to recognize what’s happening, but he definitely can’t seem to hear the voice.

Perhaps this was a gift from Igor? She’ll have to ask.

 _“Thou hast been bound by society’s chains. To break thy bonds, thou shalt serve thy fellow chained,”_  It’s Yusuke’s voice, but it’s older, and with what sounds like yet another European accent. Not Eastern, like Lady Death’s, but Western.

Yusuke is on the ground now, clutching his head in agony. He’s screaming, panting as a beautiful display of blue and orange flames twirl around him. Ethereal chains twirl in the inferno, reaching for Yusuke’s wrists but not quite reaching.

 _“It is thy lustful desire to gain friendships, to acquire the means to avoid thy loneliness. Thine overbearing, overzealous pursuit of thy goal is thy curse. Grasp the wings of rebellion before thy faux feathers melt away,”_  Yusuke gets to his feet, still panting as a mask that resembles a plague doctor’s materializes on his face.

He grasps at its edges, his breathing morphing into a yell as he rips the mask from his face. Haru winces as she sees the blood pouring from his face, the muscles pumping beneath his skin as they’re exposed.

Was this how she looked? No wonder Yusuke had freaked out.

But, a few moments pass as the flames disappear, and Yusuke is left wailing in pain, the mask now abandoned on the crimson carpet.

Finally, he lifts his head and screeches, and the flames return with a furious vengeance. The blast takes out a few shadows that are beginning to close in on him.

Yusuke’s altered school uniform shifts into an ensemble of a dark grey pair of baggy pants and a long-sleeved shirt that is obstructed by layers upon layers of battered and torn fabrics around his shoulders, that hang down and cover most of his upper body. A coil of crimson fabric wraps around his neck, and his gloves are a far brighter red than Haru’s. His boots are replaced by shorter boots that go right past his ankles and have a small heel.

But then, there’s his Persona.

Its hands are like a bird’s talons, and it does not have eyes peeking from beneath its mask. There is nothing beneath the mask but darkness. The mask itself is like the abandoned one on the floor, that of a plague doctor’s. The figure is dressed in rags, but the rags display ever-changing images of natural disasters. In its talons it holds a book, beaten yet still held together by its base. From its back are black wings that are beaten and bloody, yet somehow still stretch out in some sense of pride. It does not have legs, but instead is like a phantom that floats above Yusuke. The rags taper off into glowing embers.

_“I am thou, thou art I. I am thy rebellious desires manifested. Thou may refer to me as Nostradamus. Our contract sealed henceforth. Go, heal thine allies, and burn away thy foes.”_

Yusuke lets out a breath and looks down at his hands. A wide grin appears on his face. “Alright, then. I could get used to this,” he declares, and raises his hand.

A sparkling green energy encircles Haru, and she feels revitalized in mere seconds. Yusuke does this once more, and Goro noticeably looks in less pain. A blaze of flames explodes above both of their heads, destroying the guards that had been above them mere moments ago.

Haru and Goro get to their feet and call their Personas. As they do so, Yusuke walks up to join them. He gives them a thumbs-up. Haru returns the gesture with an excited smile.

“For everything you’ve done to me, and the people I care about… I will make you pay!” Yusuke shouts, and he cocks his pistol. Kamoshida rolls his eyes and snaps his fingers. In an instant, more Shadows appear. But, along with them, the skimpily-clad Makoto from the day before appears at Kamoshida’s side.

Yusuke’s face noticeably pales, and he puts a hand over his mouth in horror.

 _“Mako-chan!”_  He calls out, but Goro puts an arm out to block him.

“It’s no use, Yusuke-kun. She’s a part of his cognition. Whoever she is, this is how Kamoshida views her,” the boy explains calmly, looking at the shadows that are beginning to close in. Yusuke lets out a huff, and some smoke billows from his mouth.

“Whatever, then. Let’s give these guys hell!”

It seems as though these awakenings give the Persona a boost of power. She notices it as Yusuke effortlessly knocks down one of the creatures, which is a humanoid figure with a red flower on its head.

By the time the battle is over, Kamoshida and the faux-Makoto have disappeared. Yusuke stumbles a bit, but Haru is at his side to catch him. She glances over to Goro and nods her head towards the entryway. He shakes his head in response and leads her back to the secret passageway they had entered through.

“This is where we must always come in. No ifs, ands, or buts. Going in any other way would be far too difficult. It could risk a rise in the security level. In any case, I’m rather impressed! Two Persona users! How fortunate for me!” Goro cheers, looking to the two. Yusuke is leaning against Haru’s shoulder, but otherwise he looks… okay enough.

“E-Excellent… Ah, b-but we should be g-going. W-We may be back, w-who knows!” Haru replies nervously, feeling a tiny bit of regret at Goro’s shocked face as she and Yusuke leave. Yet, he does not stop them.

The castle melts away, and they find themselves in an alley, just a few yards away from the entrance gates of Shūjin. It’s only an hour or so after school, if what Haru’s phone is displaying is true.

“Thanks. I don’t know how much longer how much longer I could’ve taken of that damn kid. Damn it, I hope Hana-chan will be alright with me skipping today… I’m way too tired to even think about an after-school shift. She won’t be too happy about that, but she’ll have to deal with it…” Yusuke mutters, looking over to Haru as he leans against a wall. “Hey, thanks, by the way. We make a pretty damn good team, don’t we? From now on, it’ll be you and me. We definitely can’t leave this stuff alone.”

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _???_  
_???_  
_???  
???_

 

Her head is pounding, and her vision is going out of focus every other minute. Sojiro sits across from her, patiently waiting for her to get her senses back together. He lets out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

“So, you went to another world, and… met some kid who made it possible for you to summon creatures who also were imitations of historical figures. And… there was a castle,” he summarizes, letting out a groan at her nod. “Listen, Haru, you’re going to need to tell me the truth. Additionally, you can’t just refer to the people in your recollection by aliases. Using “Magician” and “Chariot” isn’t going to cut it.”

She gives an exhausted shrug, holding her head in one of her hands. She looks up at him in defiance, ignoring the ache in her wrists.

“I’m not going to rat them out, sir, and you’re going to have to deal with that. However, everything I’ve told you so far is true,” she responds, unable to stop the way her knee is bouncing. There’s something she’s supposed to be remembering. _What is it?_

The creatures screech in the back of her mind, and a voice is trying to fight through. It fills her chest with a warm feeling

“…Alright then. Well, I have to say, working alone would have been much easier. Judging by how you’re telling this story, I’m going to guess this “Chariot” character was your first official teammate. The “Magician” would come to join you later, yeah?” Sojiro asks, tapping his pencil against the notepad he’s been scribbling her story down in.

“It will take a while before that. But, the Chariot wasn’t the only one who had a grudge against Kamoshida…”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

_April 12_   
_Tuesday_   
_Beef Bowl Shop  
After School_

 

Sitting in the beef bowl shop with Yusuke, Haru watches as Yusuke waves at the busy worker behind the counter. The worker, a girl who looks to be in college, waves back and smiles.

“Oh, hey Yusuke! You comin’ in tonight? I see you brought a friend!” The woman chirps, and Yusuke laughs, nervously glancing to Haru.

“No, sorry. I just wanted to show my new friend around. She’s new to the city!” Yusuke replies, taking a seat at the curving counter that the woman is working behind. Haru sits down next to him and lets him take their orders. She wouldn’t know what to order anyways.

When their food arrives, she notices how he pokes it around with his chopsticks in thought. He glances around, and finally lets out a sigh.

“What happened in there stays between us. I… used to be on the school’s dance team. I was pretty damn good, actually. I was at Shūjin on a dance scholarship,” Yusuke explains, finally beginning to eat. Haru looks down at her bowl, and reluctantly starts eating as well. She’s burning with curiosity, but she can’t overstep her boundaries.

“But then Kamoshida got the dance coach fired. Said something about our coach “embezzling funds”, yet he was one of the best people I know. Kamoshida started harassing the girls, and I tried getting in the way. He’d beat my ass and expect me to be fine with it… and I wasn’t. But I was doing it to keep my friends safe. I guess I’ve just done that sort of stuff my whole life,

“And, well, Kamoshida ended up finding out about “Natsumi”. That was… Well, that’s what people called me before I became Yusuke. I started going by Yusuke near the end of my third year of junior high.” Haru nods, but she doesn’t interrupt.

She can feel her stomach beginning to twist into knots at the mere thought of eating, especially when Yusuke was taking about something so important.

“But, that wasn’t what got me in trouble. One day, Kamoshida decided to start making fun of me while I was taking a beating. Started making fun of me, my mom, and… well, I don’t come from the best situation. Dad hasn’t been around for years, and mom… she’s pretty sick. I’m the one who takes care of her. Anyways, Kamoshida started making fun of her, and… I don’t know, I just lost it. I tried fighting back, but you can guess how well that turned out. I was just some scrawny first year. So, Kamoshida threw me down the stairs.” Haru can’t help herself as she puts a hand on his shoulder. He flinches, but then sends her an appreciative smile.

Yusuke looks down at his bowl and decides to finish it.

“I broke my leg because of it. I lost my scholarship. My mom can’t really work right now, so we’re kind of living off of our insurance. I usually work a few jobs a night to keep food on the table. All of ‘em are part-time, so I come in whenever I want… which is really often. If they don’t want me in on one day, I just run over to another job. I’m also saving up to start buying testosterone… Let’s see… I work here, the flower shop, the convenience store, a few teen-friendly places in Shinjuku, Big Bang Burger-“ Haru looks away at that and removes her hand.

_No._

_Not Yusuke._

_Don’t let him get hurt-_

“Haru? Hey, you good?” Yusuke asks, nudging her with his elbow. She nods back with a sigh.

“S-Sorry, just… thinking. Y-You don’t d-deserve a s-situation like this…” she responds with a frown.

He fiddles with one of his piercings, and lets out a yawn. “Well, I can’t really help it. That’s just life, y’know? Things may be rough right now, but if I work hard enough, things’ll get better,” he reasons.

As the worker comes up with their bill, Haru blocks Yusuke’s hand as he goes to hand the woman some yen. Fishing around her wallet, Haru takes the appropriate amount and hands it to the woman.

Yusuke lets out a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You… didn’t need to do that. I have a pretty nice discount here,” he mutters. Haru shrugs and finishes eating her meal.

“D-Don’t worry a-about it. I-I just w-wanted to help,” she responds, patting him on the back. He shrugs but nods anyways. Afterwards, they walk to the train station together, and go their separate ways when the time comes.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 13_  
_Wednesday  
Shūjin Academy_

Wednesday comes without warning. The gravity of Yusuke’s admissions yesterday still weighs heavily on her shoulders, but she doesn’t want to let it distract her.

She meets him outside the school, bags under his eyes lazily covered by concealer. He sends her a smile and thumbs-up, trying to reassure her. She doesn’t buy it, and he almost wilts at that. He runs a hand through his hair and exhales.

“Took an early shift this morning. Of course, I managed to get my homework done before it, but…” The implications are clear, and Haru lets out a sigh. She nudges him, so they can walk in. She doesn’t miss the wary look Futaba gives them as they do so. It seems that the girl is acting as sentry for outside now, for some reason. Haru slows down momentarily to look at her, but she is unable to get the girl to even glance her way now. She readjusts her bag’s strap and hurries to join Yusuke.

“Y-You should g-get sleep during the break…” She suggests, and Yusuke nods with a yawn.

“Don’t need to tell me twice. As soon as the break starts, I’m going to be on the rooftop, completely unconscious,” he responds with a straight face. He smiles when Haru laughs,but then, Yusuke lets out a groan and rolls his eyes. She gives him a questioning look, and he motions his hands around as he says, “Well, Kamoshida’s not done messing with us, because there’s that stupid volleyball rally today!”

When Haru doesn’t react the way he expects her to, which is _downright disgust_ , he lets out a sigh. “You know, the volleyball rallies? Did your old school ever have them?” She shakes her head. It was always for other sports, quite honestly. Volleyball was important to her last school, seeing as it had been all-girls, but there were other sports to be more enthusiastic with.

Yusuke sighs and runs another hand through his hair. “Yeah, honestly, should’ve expected that. It’s not your fault that our school only has one good sport, which happens to be the one led by the abusive pedophile.” Haru shrugs and attempts a smile.

“I-I’m sure w-we can find a-a way to stop him…” She responds, and Yusuke gives her a small smile, nodding.

“I hope so. I feel sick thinking about what might happen if we don’t…”

With those thoughts, Haru goes to class and tries to listen. It doesn’t work very well, what with all of the muttering that’s never-ending, never-ceasing. Niijima says nothing to the students who choose to ignore her lesson in favor of gossiping.

But her red eyes, blazing with contempt, stay trained on her for most of the time. Any time Haru glances towards the window, Niijima is there to snap her back into the lesson.

It’s getting annoying.

Yusuke stays true to his word, and Haru spends her lunch break eating her food on the rooftop while he takes a power nap next to her. He takes the extra sandwich she had bought specifically for him, and gives him a scolding slap on the shoulder when he offers to pay her back.

When it’s finally time for the volleyball rally and she’s changed into her gym uniform, Haru splits off from her class. Niijima sends her a warning glare as she begins wandering, but she makes no move to stop her. Makoto glances to her with an unreadable expression. Haru jogs over to Yusuke, who looks _incredibly_ uncomfortable in his uniform. He has the red jacket zipped all the way up, and he’s constantly readjusting it.

He looks worried.

As she walks up to him, however, he visibly relaxes. His shoulders go slack, and he lets out a breath.

“C’mon, we don’t have to participate. It’s more of a school spirit thing anyways,” he explains, motioning over to the wall. He sits down, and she does the same.

The rally itself isn’t terrible, quite honestly. The boys’ teams, varsity and junior varsity, play against one another. To her surprise, the junior varsity put up a good fight. The game ends with the older and more experienced team winning, to no one’s surprise.

Both girls’ teams go next, and Haru notices a specific girl out of them all. She’s nimble, quick, and her black hair is tied back in a ponytail. She’s quite possibly the best player Haru’s ever seen. She spikes the ball down without hesitation, gaining another point for her team.

Yusuke grimaces and puts his arms on his knees.

“That’s Shiho Suzui. Second year. She’s really sweet, actually. She’s also the best volleyball player Shūjin has, without question. It sucks that she has to deal with Kamoshida,” he explains, watching as the girl spikes yet another ball.

Haru watches Yusuke now, noticing how sad he looks as he watches the girl. Just like last night… He curls a bit more in on himself.

Haru puts a hand on his shoulder.

The varsity team wins, and Haru watches as Makoto runs from the stands and hugs the girl without hesitation. They’re both laughing, and Makoto gives her friend a high-five.

Haru notices a bandage on Shiho’s cheek, and a dark purple spot on her temple. Her lip is split. She winces.

The next game is the two varsity teams against one another.

Shiho absolutely dominates the game, saving the ball and setting it into the air for another teammate to hit on multiple occasions. She never quite stops, and every once in a while, she’s on the floor from a dive. Shiho gets up without effort, and the look of determination in her eyes practically burns holes in the boys’ team’s defense.

Another girl plays next to her, nervous but trying her best to cover when Shiho is unable to get to the ball. Haru recognizes her as Hifumi Togo, the girl from Yusuke’s homeroom that she noticed yesterday.

Hifumi is rather jumpy, squeezing her eyes shut when the ball comes her way. But, she’s still rather good. She has a relieved smile on her face whenever the ball goes over and they score a point.

The boys put up a good struggle, but the girls are obviously the much better team. They look as though they’ve been trained better, worked with more. They look _desperate to win._

Haru doesn’t want to think about why that is.

For some unknown reason, Kamoshida feels as though it’s necessary to involve himself in the game now. He barks out an order to one of the boys, who nods quickly and scurries off of the court. Shiho looks anything but excited at the development, and Hifumi looks terrified.

The game turns around after that, and Kamoshida soaks in the praise that the other students are throwing at him. Haru hears the girls in the stands squeal and gush over the gym teacher’s build, and she puts a hand over her mouth to stop herself from gagging.

If only they knew.

The crowd suddenly starts shouting, and Haru snaps her head up in time to watch Kamoshida spiking a ball down, hitting Hifumi right in the face. She crumples to the ground, and Shiho kneels down to check on her.

Kamoshida slips under the net to check on the girl, but Haru notices how Shiho backs away almost instantly, and Hifumi is trying to get to her feet. Her nose is bleeding, but Haru can see her mouthing, _“No, I’m fine, don’t worry, I’m fine.”_

“Can someone walk with her to the nurse?” Kamoshida calls out, and Haru’s on her feet before she can think. Yusuke calls for her to come back, but she isn’t listening. The crowd of students that had started to surround Hifumi immediately dissipates with Haru’s appearance.

Kamoshida looks up at her incredulously, and she raises her hand a bit.

“I-I can do it,” she says, pushing her glasses up. Kamoshida visibly hesitates, annoyance flashing across his face, but he finally relents.

Haru stoops down and helps Hifumi to her feet. The girl momentarily flinches away from her touch, but she gives up when she realizes that she has no other choice.

They walk down the hallway in relative silence, and Hifumi tells Haru at one point that she can walk on her own. While Haru does let the girl go, she chooses to continue walking with her.

The way that Hifumi’s shoulders are hiking up, her eyes are staring at the floor, and her fists are clenching, Haru can tell that the girl is anxious. Then again, what can Haru do? It would be pointless to try and convince Hifumi of her innocence. She was just fine with Yusuke as her sole friend, her sole confidant.

When they get to the nurse, Haru stays for a few moments. She leaves when the nurse waves her off.

It seems as though the rally is over by the time Haru gets back, so she decides instead to join Yusuke’s side. He beams when he sees her.

“Was she okay? Hope so. In any case, I _was_ going to ask if you wanted to ask the volleyball players what’s up, but that probably wouldn’t work. The first-years scattered as soon as I walked up, and everyone knows the third-years’ll keep their mouths shut. I _would_  ask Shi-chan, but that probably wouldn’t work out… And, well, I can’t stay after for very long.  Gotta take a shift after school at the flower shop, an evening shift at the beef bowl shop, and then the night shift at Big Bang- what’s up? You don’t look very happy…” Yusuke is rambling, but Haru realizes that she’s frowning. She shakes her head and pats his shoulder.

“I-I’m fine, Yusuke. J-Just… m-make sure y-you get your work done, a-and… try not t-to burn out,” she replies, and he hesitates, but then gives her a bright smile back. She mulls over his words, and realizes that he had used the name “Shi-chan”. Who was that? Was that Shiho, the girl he had pointed out to her? Most likely. But… how was he so close to call her that?

“Don’t worry about me, man! I gotta catch up on bills anyways. I’ll probably be able to hang out tomorrow, but I’ll be pretty tired. I can probably get my homework done during the dead hours at Big Bang, so-“ Haru blocks out the rest of Yusuke’s rambling, and starts thinking instead about potential ways she could help him. Yusuke didn’t deserve what he had, but he had it. She had connections, but she also had to stay under the radar.

Perhaps she could find a way to contact Takakura? Then again, she’d probably be expected to return the favor. Additionally, she couldn’t trust that he would keep his word, and… well, she doesn’t want to be indebted to anyone associated with her father.

“Hey, are you free tonight?” Haru’s head snaps up as a voice brings her out of her thoughts. Looking around, she sees Kamoshida talking to Makoto with a large grin on his face. Makoto regards him for a few moments, her grip on the book she’s reading tightening.

Haru sees Yusuke rolling up his sleeves, but she stops him.

 _‘Wait,’_ she thinks, watching the interaction between the two. Makoto shakes her head with a sigh, moving to go around the large man.

“I can’t. I have a shoot with my dad… I haven’t seen him in a few months, so…” she trails off, looking around for some way of escape.

“What? Your dad’ll be fine. I can tell him that you needed some help after school. Come on, Mako-chan,” he soothes, but Haru feels bile rise in her throat at the sight.

Makoto fixes him with a soft smile as she shakes her head. “No, sir, I’d rather not. Sis is expecting me to meet up with him, and I don’t want to disappoint both of them. Now, please, if you’ll excuse me…” He wraps an arm around her shoulder as she moves once again. He lets out a lighthearted laugh.

“Mako-chan, I thought I told you that you could call me Sugu-kun! Especially when we’re alone…” Haru puts a hand over her mouth and gags. Yusuke is walking up once again before she can stop him. Makoto frowns, shaking her head.

“We’re at school, sir. That’s exceedingly inappropriate,” she snaps. Kamoshida looks to be about to argue with her, but stops when he sees Yusuke approaching them. Kamoshida sends her a meaningful look. He pats her on the shoulder before finally leaving. Yusuke growls something under his breath and huffs. If he were in the Metaverse, Haru’s sure he’d be puffing out smoke.

Makoto stares at him in surprise, seeming to be trying to wrap her head around his sudden appearance. She glances over to Haru, who is finally walking up.

“Why did you do that? I had it handled…” she grumbles, averting her gaze with a frustrated sigh. Yusuke shakes his head, rolling his eyes.

“Makoto, you and I both know you most definitely did _not_  ‘have it handled.’ Why do you even let him do that? It’s really frustrating…” Yusuke trails off, and Haru is surprised to hear him refer to the girl by her first name. Makoto notices this as well, and scowls.

“Quit it, Kitagawa. You have no idea what sort of situation this is. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I would like to _finally_  leave so I can meet with my father,” she grits out, shouldering past him and clutching her book in both hands. She looks like she wants to hit something… or _someone._

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

Haru decides to ride the train to Shibuya with Yusuke and walks him to the flower shop in the underground mall. She decides to stay around for awhile, which Yusuke appreciates. He excitedly tells her the meanings of each flower, expertly weaving bouquets together for customers as he does so.

When she asks him how he knows all of this, he shrugs.

“Well, it’s a mix of both Hanakotoba, otherwise known as the Japanese flower language, and the Victorian-era definitions. Different cultures have different meanings to their flowers. Take the primrose for example. In Hanakotoba, it symbolizes desperation. Like, say you want to send a message to some weird stalker guy. You give him a bouquet of primroses to tell him that he’s being desperate. Then again, you could also add in yellow tulips if you really wanted to. But, for the Victorian era, primroses represent fickleness and faithlessness, but also sweet memories,” he tells her as he places a red rose in the middle of a bouquet of gardenias and forget-me-nots.

Yusuke regards one of the gardenias for a moment, before turning to the customer, a Kosei student that had wanted some help with confessing his crush towards a girl. Yusuke asks for the money, and the boy shoves the yen into his hand.

“Gardenias represent secret love. For me, I interpret it as both platonic and romantic love. You could have a secret crush, or a secret adoration for a friend. Who knows,” Yusuke explains to Haru, yawning shortly after. He rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand and lets out a tired sigh. “But, uh, yeah… Thanks for hanging out with me, but you should head home. I’ve got about two more hours of this, and I don’t want to hold you up. And, well, I don’t want you to get in trouble with my boss.”

It takes some more convincing, but Haru does eventually leave Yusuke. She does want to check some of the shops in Shibuya. So, she leaves the underground mall, and exits the train station to look around.

Nearby, a girl in a Shūjin uniform looks to be talking on her phone. She’s wearing a jacket, and-

Oh, it’s Makoto.

Haru stands there, watching the girl. Her face is pale, and she appears to have a few tears in her eyes. Finally, she shrinks in on herself in response to whoever’s on the other side of the call. “No, I… I don’t want to do that…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The edelweiss flower is representative of great sacrifice, devotion, love, and, occasionally, freedom. The edelweiss gained notoriety after many young men would climb mountains just to take these flowers back to their new wives. Most did not survive these journeys. The edelweiss is unique in the way that it only can be found in the wild, and there are now legal limitations that ban the flower from being picked in most of the regions where it grows. There was a resistance movement named after this flower that opposed the state youth system during the Nazi regime.
> 
> Okay, so, funny story. Yusuke’s persona was a pain in the ass to figure out. For a long while, it was going to be Spartacus. I had my mind set on that. But, it bothered me, because I knew that I wanted Yusuke to be the team’s healer. The situation with him and his mom was the driving factor, actually.  
> Also, let’s talk about that. I think it would be good if we did. So, in canon, Yusuke’s mom died because she had a seizure. So, I thought it’d be heartbreakingly fitting if she were sick in this universe too. Yusuke’s a hard-working kid, and I wouldn't put it past him to do something like this. I love this boy!  
> So, Nostradamus. Why him? Well, Nostradamus was one of the named plague doctors that came up while I was looking for a more fitting persona for Yusuke. Nostradamus gained his infamy (or fame, depending on how you look at it) through his book, _Les Propheties,_ which reportedly has predicted many natural disasters. However, this has been reportedly disproven, as some translations of his work have been intentionally altered to correctly predict the future.  
> Also, as a commenter pointed out last chapter, there are already a lot of cameos popping up! I wonder who will be next...  
> Anyways, I gotta go. See you all in two weeks!


	6. Gardenia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s up!!! I’m alive, y’all? Sorry once again for the late update. Tech week was absolutely BRUTAL. 
> 
>  
> 
> **Trigger warning for attempted suicide. You have been warned.**
> 
>  
> 
> This is it. It’s almost time.

_April 13_  
_Wednesday_  
_After School  
_ _Shibuya_

“No, I… I don’t want to do that…” Makoto whimpers, a few tears threatening to fall. She lets out a gasp, and her eyes widen. “You can’t do that! I already told you I was busy!” She pauses, taking in a shaky breath. “Fine, I’ll… I’ll do it…”

Haru feels her stomach drop. Her voice sounds so _weak._ So vulnerable. Every alarm in her head is going off, and her legs are moving without a second thought towards her.

As soon as Makoto hangs up, she whips around at the sound of footsteps. She grips her phone tightly and shrinks away at the mere sight of Haru.

“How much did you hear?” she hisses out, shoving her phone in her pocket. Makoto’s shaking, and it looks like she’s on the verge of a panic attack.

Haru shakes her head, deciding that telling the truth is the best “N-Not much… Do y-you w-want to talk a-about it?” she prompts, looking around at the crowds of people. If Makoto was on the verge of a breakdown, she needed to be moved to a far less busy area.

She wracks her brain for _somewhere_  they could go. She had only been to the underground mall, and even then, that was only for Yusuke. Goodness, she needed to get to know her surroundings.

Makoto bites her lip and looks down at her feet as if they’re the most interesting thing in the world. She’s starting to hyperventilate, and _shit,_ okay, it was time to find somewhere nice.

“M-Makoto, i-is there somewhere w-we can go?” Haru asks, making sure not to touch the other girl. That only made things worse, most of the time.

Shakily, Makoto nods her head and starts speeding down the streets of Shibuya until she finally reaches a bakery, which, if the closing time on the sign indicates anything, states that essentially, she and Makoto shouldn’t stay here much longer. At most, they had about an hour.

Makoto orders a pair of éclairs, staring at them before slowly handing one to Haru. They sit at one of the booths by a window, and Haru notes just how empty the place is. It’s the perfect spot for a conversation, and, having watched Makoto interact with the staff, they may have a bit longer than an hour.

“So, that was Kamoshida on the phone…” Makoto starts, fingers drumming nervously on the table as she thought of what else to say. Her face gets serious, and she places her éclair down. “You’ve heard the rumors, haven’t you? That I’m Kamoshida’s bitch? That I’m ‘easy’? Give me a break… That entire damn school’s just a rumor mill. I avoided giving him my number for the longest time, just so I could avoid this…”

Makoto’s delicate fingers are tearing apart the little pastry as she vents, and Haru watches as she seems to be only going for the filling in the middle at the moment.

Haru shrugs in response, taking a bite from her own éclair. She chews, watching Makoto as the other girl finally starts eating it.

When they’re done, Makoto realizes that she’s hardly even done that much. Haru sighs.

“W-Well, are they t-true?” she asks, watching as Makoto’s face turns red and she averts her gaze.

“No, of course not… Well, most of it, at least… Some of it is true… I mean, I don’t have much of a choice in the matter. Kamoshida’s been threatening me with my sis’s job and my best friend’s position on the volleyball team,” Makoto explains.

Haru frowns, obviously confused.

Makoto raises a brow at Haru’s bewildered expression.

“I-I’m sorry, but, w-who’s your sister?”

Makoto blinks.

A beat of silence.

Then, Haru’s getting a look from across the table that says _are you serious?_

When she nods her head in affirmation, that yes, she’s _being serious_ , Makoto puts a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.

“My sis is Sae. You know, _our homeroom teacher?”_  Haru feels her face go red in embarrassment. She glances away.

“A-Ah, I see… M-My mistake?” she replies, trying to shrug it off. It should have been obvious. She should have put two and two together, but she _didn’t-_

Makoto’s face suddenly shifts into a firm-set line, and she stares down at the table. Her tears have returned, and she places her phone on the table.

“Kamoshida threatened to hurt Shiho. That bastard says that if I don’t comply, he’ll take her off the starting position,” she explains, her hands now clenched into fists. Her eyes burn with hatred as she glares down at her phone. “He told me he wanted me to come over to his place after this, and… I just don’t know what to do. I told myself I was doing this for Shiho, and sis too, but… I’ve had enough! I hate him!” Makoto lets out a short sob, covering her hand with her mouth to stifle the noise.

She raises her head as Haru lets out a hum to get her attention.

 “Shiho is t-the best on the team, r-right?” Haru asks, grimacing when Makoto nods fervently, “T-Then, he w-wouldn’t actually take h-her off the team. S-She’s too important.”

Makoto’s eyes widen, and she thinks this over. Slowly, she nods in agreement.

“It’d be stupid to risk losing the tournament over this… He couldn’t do anything to her, because he cares too much about his stupid pride…” Haru smiles as Makoto says this, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

Makoto sits back against the wall of the booth and sighs. “I should have listened to Yusuke when I had the chance.”

Haru tilts her head.

“W-Why do you s-say that? W-Were you his friend?”

Haru’s hand clenches.

Had Makoto abandoned her friend? Had he not been good enough for her? Haru was sick of people hurting him-

“Well, yeah… He, Shiho, and I all were really good friends back in primary school and junior high. Sis was going through high school and then college, so my parents were a bit more concerned with her than me. I was being bullied, but… well, Yusuke helped me. He told them off,” Makoto explains with a fond smile at the memory, and Haru realizes that maybe, just maybe, this story will be alright.

Makoto twirls her hair a bit as she continues. “Shiho just so happened to be watching, and she liked how confident Yusuke had been. We all just sort of clicked, I guess. We kept each other happy. When my parents were away because of work, those two kept me company. When Yusuke’s dad was getting really bad, we’d let him and his mom stay over at our houses. Whenever Shiho got too anxious over something, we’d soothe her. But, well, my first year of high school came, and…” Makoto trails off, looking uncomfortable as she tries to find the right words.

Haru patiently waits, eating her eclair as she does so.

“When Yusuke came out, he cut ties with us.”

Haru chokes.

“W-Wait, he d-did _what?”_ Haru asks after finally regaining her breath. Makoto nods, staring out the window.

“He cut ties with us. He told us he didn’t want us to be bullied even more for something as “trivial as his gender identity,” so he chose to get rid of that risk entirely. As soon as he came out publicly, he stopped spending time with Shiho and me. I didn’t have to feel the effects as much, since I hadn’t been at school with them already, but… it hit Shi pretty hard. If I could, I would slap Yusuke for wanting to cut ties… But, it was his decision. He stopped letting my parents help with medical bills for his mother, and…” Makoto pauses. “He warned me about Kamoshida, a bit after he had broken his leg. I was still so _angry_  with him, that… I didn’t listen. I should have.”

Haru sighs, resting her chin on her hand. “S-So, that’s w-why? T-Thank goodness…”

Makoto frowns and glances over to Haru. “How is that a good thing?”

Haru shrugs, but she gives her a small smile.

“I-It means y-you d-didn’t do it b-because you h-had any prejudices. Y-Yusuke’s r-really nice. He h-helped me with a p-panic attack,” she explains, and Makoto lets out a small noise of affirmation. Makoto smiles, and it’s brighter than Haru could have ever imagined.

“He did? That sounds just like him. So, actually, back when Yusuke, Shiho, and I were trying to find him a name, he joked around, saying that he wanted a name that could make a good pun. So, there we are, in my big bedroom, typing in different search questions, when he suddenly gasps and slaps us both on the shoulders, and yells, “Yusuke! It has to be Yusuke!” Of course, we don’t know why. And he gives us this smug smirk, as he goes, “Yus-gay.””

A choked laugh escapes Haru’s throat, and she quickly puts a hand over her mouth to stop it. Makoto lets out a laugh as well, and they spend a moment in what feels like companionable silence.

Finally, Makoto bows her head, and puts out a hand.

“Thank you, Iwai-san. I guess you’re not as scary as the rumors make you out to be,” she trails off with a cheeky grin. Haru smiles back and takes the girl’s hand.

“I-If you would l-like, Y-Yusuke and I can h-help you s-stay away f-from Kamoshida,” Haru finds herself offering, and it’s probably because she _knows_  what Kamoshida’s mind is like, even after only two encounters with the castle.

Makoto’s eyes widen, and she slams her hands down on the table. “Really?! You’d actually do that for us? I mean, in all honesty, I think Shiho’s the one who should be directed away from Kamoshida. You don’t need to worry about me, just her… I’m going to cut things off with Kamoshida tomorrow,” she replies, standing up and brushing her skirt off. She takes a napkin from the table and dabs at her eyes, seeming to have finally remembered that she had been crying. They both walk out of the shop, but Makoto makes sure to wave goodbye to the staff, promising to be back soon to actually talk.

“You don’t need to walk me home, if you were really worried about it. It’s kind of embarrassing, but… my house is pretty big. Don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow, yeah? Oh, wait!” Makoto stops and holds out her phone to Haru, “Here, put your number in. That way, we can stay in touch.”

Almost reluctantly, Haru nods and hands Makoto her phone as said brunette gives hers to Haru. They both type in their information, and Makoto even puts in a small moon by her name.

In response, Haru finds herself putting a flower emoji by her name in Makoto’s phone. Makoto stares at it for a few moments and laughs.

“You copycat. Either way, I’d say it’s a good thing. Now I’ll know which Haru is texting me,” she quips sarcastically. Haru smirks, sending her a look as she stares at the crescent moon by Makoto’s name.

“H-How coincidental. I-I j-just have so m-many Makotos r-ringing m-me up, the m-moon will t-truly help,” she responds. Makoto sticks out her tongue teasingly and puts her phone in her pocket. Blowing some of her bangs out of her face, she gives Haru a small wave.

“Well, thank you again, Iwai-sa- Actually, can I call you Haru?” Something flutters in Haru’s chest, an indescribable wave of excitement washing over her at that question. Haru nods, nervously tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

“Y-Yes, I would… I w-would like that,” she replies.

“Okay then. I really should get home… My dad is visiting, and I said I’d be home soon. See you, Haru! Hey, and make sure to message Yusuke about what we’re doing tomorrow! I don’t want to catch him off guard!” Makoto says, whipping around to say the rest as she walks down to her station. Haru stands in the middle of the station square, and takes in the sounds of people passing by.

It almost feels soothing.

But, she has to remind herself to get home before dark. She doesn’t want Iwai to get mad at her.

When she gets back to the café, she remembers to text Yusuke.

_Haru: so, i talked to makoto.  
Haru: she wanted us to help her keep shiho from kamoshida._

Haru waits for a few moments, and smiles when she sees that Yusuke is typing.

 _Yusuke: Oh?  
Yusuke: How much did she tell you? __⊙_ _﹏_ _⊙_  
Yusuke: And, you already know I’m cool with that.

Haru smiles to herself, taking off her glasses and placing them on her desk. Settling into bed, she finally responds.

 _Haru: good. thank you._  
Haru: and, well, i don’t know, yus-gay.  
Haru: she told me a bit.

His response is as quick as a bullet.

 _Yusuke: SHE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE YUS-GAY INCIDENT?!  Σ(_ _･口･_ _)_

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 13_  
_Wednesday_  
_Evening_  
_Tokyo Police Station_

A man stands next to the SIU Director, who remains seated in his large chair as they both watch the television. The man standing is in his mid-forties, glasses perched on his nose, and suffering from a slowly receding hairline. He has a bit of facial hair, the beginning of a short beard that he must deem too tedious to shave. He wears a simple suit and over his shoulder he holds a coat. He watches the television with exhausted interest.

The man, Sojiro Sakura, lets out a short sigh, running his free hand over his face. A mental shutdown in the subway today.

Over eighty people involved.

Some dead, others badly injured.

It was times like these that he’s glad that Futaba has after-school activities. Later trains were less likely to experience these accidents, if the SIU’s data added up right.

“The Director of Transportation is indicating signs of resigning… perhaps with him out of the way, we can investigate these incidents thoroughly,” his boss mutters beneath folded hands, leaning back a bit more in his chair.

Sojiro nods in agreement, checking the time on his watch. Speaking of Futaba, he had to get home soon. She would nag him if he didn’t get home shortly after her.

“Well, I should be going. My daughter’s pretty demanding when it comes to me getting home,” Sojiro explains to the older man, who simply nods and waves for him to leave.

“See you tomorrow, Prosecutor Sakura. Try to look more into these incidents, if you’re able,” he responds, eyes still trained on the television as it displays photos of the already identified deceased.

Sojiro grimaces at the thought that, well, _not all of them will have that privilege._

As he walks down the stairs towards the exit, he lets out a groan at the sight of a teenager waiting for him near the bottom.

Wearing a deep red pea coat and pastel pink scarf, they stand out more than usual. The teen’s hands are covered by delicate cream gloves. A Tokyo Police badge is displayed over their heart, proudly out for all to see. The blazer is accompanied by a pair of black slacks and dress shoes. It shouldn’t meld and manage to look at least somewhat professional.

But with her, he supposes it does.

Her earrings are red orbs that hang from her earlobes, and her long, blonde hair is kept down to frame her face. She has only a bit of hair that hangs in her face, but it’s kept back by a golden, four-leaved clover hairpin.

She lets out a yawn and stretches her arms above her head, sighing happily as they let out a _pop_. She catches sight of him walking down the stairs and brightens.

 “Good evening, Sojiro-san! Are you busy tonight? I thought it’d be fitting for us colleagues to go someplace and talk. A restaurant, perhaps? Maybe even a sushi place!” she chirps with a smile.

Sojiro rolls his eyes, finally putting on his coat. “Takamaki, a young girl like you shouldn’t be asking an old man like me. People would get the wrong idea.”

Takamaki laughs at that, waving him off with mock-embarrassment and slaps him on the back with a bit more strength he ever thought she was capable of. “Oh, Sojiro-san! You say the funniest things. If anything, they’d think you were my father.” She smirks, putting a hand over her mouth as she giggles.

Sojiro sighs, speeding up his pace. His back burns from the slap, but he chooses not to care as much about it. Takamaki jogs to keep up with him, and even whips around so she’s jogging backwards and facing him. An unsafe habit she did simply to annoy him, it seemed.

“Oh, don’t get so sore about that! You’re one of the oldest guys here, other than the director! You should know that I’m asking out of respect, Sojiro-san. As the oldest, you’re also the wisest,” she says, closing her eyes and clamping her hands together in a prayer position. “So, why don’t we go out for sushi? You can give me some of your _sage advice_  while we eat, and- whoa!”

As she’s speaking, Sojiro happens to notice the sudden drop of a curb. Of course, he hadn’t considered warning her. It isn’t his problem, and frankly, she _is_ rather obnoxious. So, he watches with some sort of satisfaction as she falls on her back. At least she’s smart enough to not let her head hit the concrete.

Sojiro walks past her as she scrambles to her feet, obviously embarrassed. She calls after him, but he’s at his car before she can catch him once again.

She watches him from the sidewalk outside the station, and he feels unease creep up his back.

With her disposition and foreign looks, she probably would have done better as a model.

Hell, she probably could have been someone he would trust enough to be Futaba’s friend.

Instead, she just so happens to be the second coming of the Detective Prince, and Sojiro’s partner in these mental shutdown cases.

It was impossible to trust her any less.

How unfortunate.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 14_  
_Thursday_  
_Before School_  
_Shūjin Academy_

Haru stands outside the gates of Shūjin with Yusuke. They share her umbrella again as they wait. Futaba is at the doors once again today, yet she once again chooses not to bother them.

Good.

“T-Thanks again for agreeing t-to this, by the way,” Haru tells Yusuke, just loud enough for him to hear. He shrugs with a strangely grim expression on his face. Now that she’s paying attention, she can see how he’s gripping the umbrella handle with white knuckles.

“You know me… I’m pretty protective. I also hate Kamoshida’s guts, so…” he trails off, and Haru notes how tired he sounds. It makes sense, if he really had taken the night shift at Big Bang. Which, considering everything, he probably had.

Finally, after a few moments, he sends her a look.

“I just realized something,” he says, and Haru looks at him to continue. His face suddenly turns pink, and he turns his head away for a moment. Then, he looks back at her. “You called me a twink when you awoke your persona!”

Haru blinks.

A beat of silence.

Wait, had she?

_Yes, rebenok. You did._

Haru scratches her cheek sheepishly with a nervous smile. “Ah, d-did I? I-I suppose it w-was m-my emotions g-getting the b-better of me…”

Yusuke pauses, before letting out a short laugh, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, I guess so. By the way, does yours talk to you too? Your Persona? Because, uh, mine does. Nostradamus feels almost like the friend I’ve always wanted,” he explains as he rubs the back of his neck. Haru tilts her head at that.

But, before she can comment on it, she spots Makoto walking up with Shiho in tow, animatedly talking to the second year. Haru feels a pit form in her stomach at the mere sight of the girl, who holds a distant look in her eyes. But, unlike her, Makoto has a hopeful look in her eyes.

Makoto grins at the sight of Yusuke, holding up her hand in a wave.

Finally, he brightens, and makes a funnel with his hands as he shouts, “Shi-chan!”

Shiho’s head snaps up, and she looks around, her eyes finally resting on Yusuke. She tilts her head in confusion, which rather quickly morphs into realization, and then absolute euphoria.

“Yu-kun!” Shiho shouts back, breaking into a dash before Makoto can even react. She crashes into Yusuke, who nearly topples over from the sheer force of the impact. They stay like that for a few moments, and Yusuke even whispers something in Shiho’s ear that makes her burst with boisterous laughter.

She pushes him away with a large grin, and Yusuke looks down at her with that same large grin. They’re laughing, and Haru feels herself smiling at the exchange.

“What’s up, Yus-gay?” Shiho chirps slyly, noticeably rejuvenated at the mere presence of her old friend. Yusuke looks over her face, and Haru notices how his grin momentarily freezes at the sight of bandages and bruises that are sprinkled throughout. But then his composure is back, and he shrugs nonchalantly.

“Nothing much, Shi-a-hoe. I’m pretty stoked about this whole regrouping thing,” he replies, missing how Shiho’s smile becomes strained.

They move out of the way of other students and instead decide to talk by the Student Store.

But, Haru notices how tired Shiho looks, with bags under her eyes, and her slightly bent posture that seems uncharacteristic of a volleyball player. And, if body language has taught her anything, Haru knows that by the way her arms are crossed over her chest, she’s uncomfortable with something.

Haru isn’t given much of a chance to comment on it, as the bell rings before she can even open her mouth. Yusuke gives Shiho a good-natured shove, and she lets out a laugh that doesn’t sit right in Haru’s gut.

Something is wrong.

Something is terribly,  _terribly_  wrong.

Haru swallows the bile rising in her throat and walks to class with Makoto.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 14_  
_Thursday_  
_Lunchtime_  
_Shūjin Academy_

When lunchtime comes, Haru, Yusuke, Makoto, and Shiho all go to the rooftop. Yusuke locks the door behind them, making sure that Futaba or anyone else won’t be able to intrude on their lunch.

“Shiho, isn’t the weather pretty?” Makoto comments casually, but she elbows Shiho gently with a patient smile. Shiho looks around and shrugs.

“It’s alright, I guess?” she responds in confusion, looking over to Makoto with a raised brow. Makoto shrugs, and pulls out her lunch.

“My mom said that she and her friends would do this all the time. Eating on the rooftop, I mean. Kind of wild. Anyways, what were your guys’ plans for after-school?” Makoto asks, and all three of them watch Shiho tense.

Fear flickers across her face, but it quickly disappears for a friendlier expression.

“Oh, I don’t have practice tonight. Maybe we can hang out? My mom and dad are both working late, and I know your sis won’t be back for a while,” Shiho replies, nibbling at her lunch with mild interest.

Makoto shrugs and smiles.

“Well, yeah! Definitely! But what about you two?” Makoto asks, looking over to Yusuke and Haru now. Yusuke chokes on some of his food, coughing until he finally can swallow it.

“Nothing! Well, I gotta work tonight, but, uh, nothing!”

Haru smacks her forehead, giving him a disappointed look as she tucks a few stray strand sof hair out of her face. “H-He has to w-work tonight, b-but he’s showing me around Shibuya. M-My uncle… ah, h-he finally is letting me stay out a-at night,” she explains, huffing out a breath and patting Yusuke’s back when he starts coughing again.

It’s half-true. Iwai told her last night she would be allowed to go out at night, but only in Yongen-Jaya. It would take a few days before she’d be allowed to explore Shibuya’s nightlife.

Makoto looks between them with a raised brow, but she shrugs it off and goes back to talking with Shiho about the movies they could watch, and, _oh, she could bring over snacks, and Shiho only had to pick out the movie, nothing else._

It almost looks normal, the way that Makoto speaks to her friend.

But Haru sees how Shiho wasn’t quite looking at Makoto.

She sees the defeat in the girl’s eyes.

Haru doesn’t know what to do.

Shiho notices Haru staring at her. Shiho gives her a smile that surprises her.

“Hey, Iwai-san. If you aren’t busy tomorrow, maybe we can all go out together. I heard there’s a really nice sushi bar that just opened up,” she proposes, and Haru smiles back with a nod.

“I-I would like t-that.”

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 _April 14_  
_Thursday_  
_After School_  
_Shūjin Academy_

Makoto walks Shiho home after school, still chattering about what they could do tonight, leaving Haru and Yusuke to their own devices… Which was not a good idea on her part.

But, in Yusuke and Haru’s eyes, it was the perfect decision. So, there they sat at the collection of abandoned desks and chairs.

“So, Meta-whatever time?” Yusuke asks casually, taking out his phone. “That app appeared on my phone the other night. It freaked me out when I noticed it.”

Haru looks over, and, sure enough, there’s the creepy app, staring with its nasty occult eye right back at her.

“Gross,” she says and taps on the bookmarked location, “b-but, we s-should at least investigate.”

When they arrive at the entrance of the castle, Goro is waiting patiently for them this time. He gives them a casual greeting before going straight to the point.

“The Metaverse is fickle. It’s always changing, never quite looking the exact same from the first time you went in. Now, with your new outfits, you’ll need codenames,” Goro explains, flipping his scarf over his shoulder. “Using your real names here would not be ideal. Who knows how Kamoshida’s cognition would react.”

Haru looks over to Yusuke, tilting her head as she looks him over.

“W-What about Doc?” she suggests, watching as Yusuke shakes his head and feels the beak of his mask.

“Nah, too simple. It sounds cool, but what about…” Yusuke thinks for a moment, but then snaps his fingers in realization, a grin spreading across his face. “Hawk! I’ll go by Hawk! Because of the mask, yeah?”

Haru looks him over and with a smile, she nods. “Y-Yes, I think t-that’s fitting.” She then looks over to Goro, who’s playing with the cuff of one of his sleeves. Sensing two pairs of eyes on him, he finally looks up.

“Excellent, so, you’re Hawk, and… Oh, you can call me Ace! I’m not sure what to call you, Miss Haru-chan…” Goro leans in to inspect her mask, but she ducks out of the way.

“P-Personal space, G-Goro,” she says with a sweet voice, but gives him a warning glance. He laughs and waves her off.

“Ah, I apologize. But… Hawk-kun, do you have any ideas?” Goro asks, tilting his head at the newly-named thief.

Yusuke looks Haru over again, and nods. “What about Jester? Snipe sounds cool, but not, at the same time. So, Jester. Your mask has the little stars that they have on their faces anyways.”

Haru puts a hand up to her mask, gently pulling it from her face and inadvertently summoning Lady Death behind her. The creature kneels down behind her, looking over the girl’s shoulder as she inspected her mask for the first time.

_“Jester sounds fitting, rebenok. A troublemaker, but one who can make people happy as well.”_

Looking at her mask, it resembles a domino mask. However, it’s split vertically between black and white halves. On right side, the side that would cover her left eye, it was completely black. However, over the eye was a white, four-pointed star. On the left side, the side that would cover her right eye, had inverted colors. Completely white, with a black, four-pointed star.

“I-It sounds cool. I’m f-fine with t-that name,” she finally responds, putting her mask back on and watching as Lady Death fades away with the action.

Goro claps his hands and lets out a small cheer. “So, we’re Ace, Hawk, and Jester. Jester, I’m going to appoint you as leader. I would do better as a navigator, and you seem to have a better sense of leadership than Hawk. No offense to you, Hawk.”

Yusuke shrugs. “None taken.”

Haru, meanwhile, was trying to come up with some semblance of argument that told them _no, she was not fit to lead._

But then, Lady Death’s presence returned, yet not physically. Her heart warmed as she felt the comforting embrace of her persona’s support wrap around her chest and hold her tight.

Letting out a shaky breath, she finally nods.

“Alright. I-I’ll lead.”

They spend the next two hours searching the castle. Haru finds out that wow, she can hold more than one Persona (which she guesses must be a gift from Igor, the bastard), and that they’re severely outnumbered against the shadows. They’ll need more firepower.

When they leave the castle that afternoon, Haru walks away with two new Personas: Pixie and Jack O’ Lantern.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 _April 15_  
_Friday_  
_Daytime_  
_Shūjin Academy_

Haru is half-asleep in the middle of one of Ushimaru’s lectures when it happens. Lunch had just ended, and Haru had returned to class with Makoto, having promised that Haru herself would walk her new friend home.

Being friends with the rumored criminal had its perks.

From the second floor, she can hear people shouting and screaming. Haru jumps to her feet in an instant, and Makoto stands up as well in alarm.

Their chairs screech against the floor, and Ushimaru orders for them to sit back down.

It falls on deaf ears as their phones buzz almost simultaneously. They exit the room, despite Ushimaru’s protests, and look around to find that students are already leaving to find out what the commotion was for. Haru checks her phone to find that Yusuke has texted the both of them in an obviously panicked hurry.

_Yusuke: GUys i can’t findd Shi oh my god where did she geo_

Haru doesn’t have time to answer, as she very clearly hears Yusuke yell, “Shi-chan!” and in an instant, he’s racing down the stairs and out to the courtyard. Haru glances over to Makoto, but finds that she’s already gone, chasing after Yusuke.

Finding that she couldn’t do anything else, she chases after the two.

They’re just in time to watch Shiho Suzui fall from the rooftop as they arrive.

Time freezes for a split-second.

_Crunch._

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _???_  
_???_  
_???_  
_???_

“So, this is when you became the leader, yeah? ‘The Magician’ also joined your team at this point. It appears that my information was incorrect, however.” Sojiro says, tapping his pen against his notepad, “You became involved in some sort of altercation with Mr. Kamoshida. Hifumi Togo, Yusuke Kitagawa, and you were all threatened with expulsion for this. While I thought it had happened during your second week of school, this happened on Friday.”

Haru steadies her shaking hands and nods.

“Shiho tried committing suicide that day. April 15. It was a Friday. I know that for certain,” she whispers, sucking in a breath and trying to stop herself from digging her nails into her palms.

“…I see. Please, if you need time to breathe, you can’t take too long. We’re on a limited time, Haru. You obviously had many, many more teammates. Who was the next one?” Sojiro urges, and Haru smiles to herself.

“That would be The Lovers, sir. The one I nicknamed that is very important to me,” she explains, drumming her fingers on her leg now. _She’s forgetting something important._

_What is she forgetting?_

“The Lovers? Got it. Continue with your story, please.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 15_  
_Friday_  
_Daytime_  
_Shūjin Academy_

Makoto lets out a scream that sounds like Shiho’s name. Is she trying to get her attention?

Yusuke runs towards Shiho’s fallen body. Is he trying to catch her?

_She’s already on the ground._

Haru stays rooted in her position by the doorway, unable to move her feet even if she tried.

Yusuke and Makoto kneel over Shiho, frantically checking her to see if she’s alright in any way.

Students are beginning to pour out of the doors, but they’re slowed down by Haru’s presence. They send her wary glances, being careful not to bump into her.

She finds herself reminded of a girl from her old school, one who was soft-spoken and smart.

Being at such a highly-esteemed high school meant nothing in terms of bullying.

Girls could be very, very cruel.

Haru remembers her second year of high school, a few months before the party incident.

The girl had jumped from the school’s rooftop, much like Shiho had just done.

That same crunch, but…

Someone bumps against her too hard, she finds herself back in Shūjin’s courtyard.

Finally, she moves forward.

The students move away as they spot her moving towards the front.

Yusuke is supporting Shiho’s head as Makoto kneels at her side, trying to keep Shiho awake.

_Awake?_

Haru moves down to kneel by Shiho, holding the girl’s hand to warm it.

She doesn’t know what she’s doing.

What can she do?

“Everyone, please, move aside!” Principal’s Kobayakawa’s voice cuts through the air like a knife, and the students once again part so he can get through. Niijima follows after him, sending Haru a confused look as they approach.

Haru doesn’t gift her with any sort of reaction, she simply stays concentrated on helping Shiho in some way. Sirens echo as an ambulance can be heard in the distance, and from the corner of her eye, Haru spots Hifumi Togo watching the four of them with wide eyes.

Her face is pale, and her entire form is shaking. She has a black eye now, and a few new bandages on her face and neck.

Yusuke catches notice of her and sends Haru a look. Hifumi must realize that she’s been spotted, because then she’s rushing to get out of the crowd.

“Makoto, stay with her. Haru and I need to take care of something,” Yusuke tells the girl, who nods and moves so that Shiho’s head is in her lap.

“Shiho… Why?” Makoto whispers, but Haru and Yusuke are already running before they can hear any semblance of an answer.

They find Hifumi right by the staircase, holding a hand over her mouth and trying desperately to take deep breaths.

She looks as though she’s about to faint.

When Haru and Yusuke approach, she might as well have done so.

“Ah, hello, Kitagawa-kun, Iwai-senpai!” Hifumi squeaks out, scooting closer to the staircase, taking the effort to go up one step. Yusuke says nothing, following after her.

“Hifumi, t-talk to us. W-What do you k-know?” Haru asks, trying her best to be the voice of reason. Hifumi glances between them and shakes her head.

“What can you do about it? Everyone knows. Everyone knows he abuses us… Our parents, the principal, the other students. You won’t be able to do anything,” she mumbles, a hand going up to her black eye. “But…”

She suddenly looks angry, clenching her fists.

“He made a promise. He broke that damn promise like he did Suzui-san… I can’t forgive him!” Hifumi yells. She and Haru gasp as Yusuke storms off, and the anger in Hifumi’s face fades into fear.

Haru glances back at Hifumi. She looks back to Yusuke’s slowly disappearing form, and she realizes that this won’t end well if she doesn’t follow.

Hifumi, for some unknown reason, follows right after her.

Haru breaks out into a run before she can stop herself, trying her best to follow Yusuke and not lose sight of him. He’s faster than he gives himself credit for.

Haru and Hifumi burst into the P.E. Office right after Yusuke, who looks just about to punch Kamoshida in the jaw.

Said man is sitting in his desk chair, a patient (and _obnoxious_ ) smile on his face.

“Is there a reason you’ve burst into my office, Kitagawa?” Kamoshida asks, leaning back as Yusuke clenches his fists.

“You know damn well why I’m here, Kamo-shit-a! What the hell did you do to Shiho?!” Yusuke demands, taking another step towards the man.

The smile on Kamoshida’s face disappears as he stands up.

 _Oh,_ Haru thinks, _he’s really fucking tall._

Kamoshida looms over Yusuke with a scowl, and for a moment, Haru is reminded of the man’s shadow.

“Kitagawa, are you _accusing_  me of a crime? That doesn’t sound right,” Kamoshida says, and Hifumi steps forward now, eyes blazing in fury.

“You lied to me, Kamoshida! You promised me you’d leave us alone if I did what you told me to do!” Hifumi retaliates, taking another step forward.

Kamoshida’s scowl turns into grin, and he puts a hand on Hifumi’s shoulder. She visibly flinches, and suddenly her fire is gone.

“And what,” Kamoshida drawls, looking over to Haru, “did I tell you to do, Togo?”

Hifumi’s shoulders slouch in defeat, and she avoids making eye contact with the two. She takes a shaky breath and looks on the brink of tears as she finally looks up, tears falling as she finally admits it.

“I leaked your records, Iwai-san. Kamoshida threatened to hurt my friends. I couldn’t do anything else,” she says, finally wrenching herself away from said man. She looks sick, but Haru?

Haru feels dizzy.

It was Kamoshida’s fault?

It was Hifumi’s fault?

It wasn’t her father?

No, it had to have been him.

Hifumi was lying for him.

Despite everything, Haru lets out a laugh.

Yusuke, about to punch Kamoshida, stops himself.

“What, Kitagawa? Still can’t do it, even after the year you spent away? Well, whatever. You all tried attacking a teacher. As of right now, you’re being expelled. I won’t bring it up until the next faculty meeting, so you all get to try and beg for forgiveness until then.”

Yusuke curses to himself, and Haru finds that she’s _still laughing._

_Why can’t she stop? This isn’t funny…_

“Now, would you get out of my sight? And Iwai, expect to be sent to juvie for this. Trash like you shouldn’t have gotten in here in the first place.”

Haru’s still laughing when Yusuke pulls her out of the office, but sobers quickly at the sight of Hifumi, pale as a sheet and shaking.

“Oh god, oh god, my mom is going to kill me- dad’s going to be so disappointed in me… I don’t have anything _but volleyball,_ what am I going to do? I have to- I have to beg him to not-“ Hifumi’s babbling abruptly stops as Yusuke puts a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it, Togo-san. Iwai and I will take care of this. Don’t tell your parents, and things will be fine. Speaking of, Iwai, let’s go,” Yusuke motions for Haru to follow her, and they go upstairs. An announcement comes over and instructs students to grab their things and leave, as the school day would be ending early. Classes would not be in session tomorrow.

Haru glances over to Yusuke, who says nothing. He appears to be limping, so Haru quickly weaves herself under one of his arms so she can help him. He gives her a shrug and allows her to do so.

When they reach the school rooftops, however, the last person they expect to be there, is.

Brunette hair is no longer tied back, but instead is loose. Some of it obscures his face, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He’s barefoot, and is dressed in a black shirt, black sweats, and a white jacket.

He’s flipping a coin, doing tricks with it, flipping it between his hands and his fingers, when he finally looks up.

His eyes meet theirs, and he smiles.

“Ah, I was wondering when you two would show up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gardenia’s symbolism is associated with many, many things. But, one that does seem to come up is that of trust, hope, friendship, and protection. It is also meant to signify secret love. In this case, this secret love is Yusuke’s silent care for his former friends. 
> 
> I really hated how Mishima just did what he did to stay on the volleyball team. I thought this would be a better motive, and also show that other people have been trying to keep their teammates safe, much like how Yusuke did. It also kind of adds to the hopelessness of the situation.  
> Also, Shiho, oh sweetheart, you poor thing. Atlus did you so dirty. You deserved so much better. I added the morning and lunch scenes for some wholesome content before… y’know…  
> And… hey, whoa there, was that another arcana I just saw? I dunno, guys…  
> Also, regarding the Metaverse stuff this chapter: I hate having to write casual stuff for the Metaverse. Yes, I’m going to obviously focus on important things, but right now, I’m just trying to get through this damn palace. So, expect a few more summaries in the near future when we aren’t doing an awakening scene or talking about a character’s thief name. Metaverse stuff can be… really, really boring, if put in the wrong hands. And, knowing me, I can make it pretty boring. Unless it’s super important, most palaces will be glossed over in favor of slice of life shenanigans.  
> Thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter! It makes me so happy to see how much people like my story!  
> Also, I haven’t said this in a while, but THANK YOU to my editors. Yeah, you heard me! I have two now! AND THEY’RE GREAT! I’m not sure if my second editor has an account on here, but I’ll definitely dedicate the next chapter to her if she does.  
> Reminder that this fic has a tumblr. If you want news for the fic, such as any possible delays or the like, follow the tumblr @ofphantomsanddaffodils. I’ll eventually get to posting more with some art. So far, I have a few pics of Haru up. Yusuke and Makoto will be on there soon, I promise.  
> Hopefully, I’ll see you all in a few weeks. My schedule still needs to be organized. I have ACTs coming up, and I really want to do well on those. So, I’ll announce when the seventh chapter will be coming out on the tumblr.  
> Thank you all for reading, and I’ll see you all next time!


	7. Iris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at the time! It's update time!
> 
> I apologize, especially since I promised on the blog that it'd be out by Sunday. This chapter is over 10,000 words, so my poor editors had to get through over 25 pages of writing to get this back to me. Shoutout to them! 
> 
> So, something that I have never brought up here that I should have from the very beginning is that this entire work would not have been possible without the inspiration I received from reading a little fic called Persona 5: Rebellion. I think that the recent update reminded me just how integral that fic was to the creation of this entire story. The interrogation scene in the very first chapter was deeply inspired by that same scene in P5:R. They’re incredibly talented, so please check out this fic! 
> 
> Now, without further ado, it’s time. The pieces are all in place.

_April 15_  
_Friday_  
_After School  
_ _Shūjin Academy_

 

“Okay, what the fuck,” Yusuke says with a mix of fear and absolute delight at the sight of Goro. Said brunette stands, jumping up onto a desk as he realizes just how cold the concrete is.

"“What’s up?” as you might to say. I finally found a way here,” Goro greets, pulling his knees up to his chest, “and I have a proposition for you both. Kamoshida has done something… _terrible._  I felt it in his Palace. It shifted to build a new room, one that I can only identify as… a shrine.”

Yusuke narrows his eyes, sitting on the desk next to Goro.

“What kind of shrine?” he asks, but Haru feels as though she knows the answer already.

“…I’m not sure, but it’s obviously meant to represent an obsession. And, speaking of his cognition, I still need to give you my offer,” Goro responds, resting his chin in one of his hands

Haru lets out an agitated sigh, motioning for him to continue. She's on the verge of a breakdown, she doesn't need Goro stepping around the subject as if it will go away.

“There is a way to change Kamoshida’s desires, and it is through his Palace. His distorted desires came from _something._ That is what I refer to as his Treasure. If we steal that, we can trigger a change of heart,” Goro explains.

“So, we steal that, and Kamoshida becomes good? That doesn’t seem too bad…” Yusuke comments, swinging his legs back and forth idly. Yet, Goro visibly hesitates. His expression shifts to a serious one.

“Yes, in theory. However… there are risks. A person’s treasure creates desire. You remove the source, and, well… that could spell trouble. Desire is not always bad. Desire is also connected to the desire to eat, to live, et cetera, et cetera. You remove the source, and you might kill him,” Goro explains finally, tapping his fingers on his knees.

Yusuke and Haru’s faces both pale.

Kill him?

Would that be worth it?

_“Remember your vow, rebenok-“_

Haru leans against a desk to steady herself, and Yusuke puts his head in his hands. He drags his hands down his face in obvious exhaustion, and Haru realizes that he’s once again put on concealer to hide the bags under his eyes.

Yusuke looks over at Haru, a grim expression painted on his face. “It’s up to you, leader. I’ll go along with whatever. I can’t forgive him for the shit he’s done. If you don’t want to do it, then I’m fine with it. We’ll find another way to make him confess.”

Yusuke gives her a reassuring smile that doesn’t mix with his grim eyes.

What can she do?

Yusuke and Goro look at her expectantly. Goro hasn’t voted yet. He’s waiting for her, just like Yusuke.

That doesn’t _help her-_

_“Your vows, rebenok. Ty menya ne slushayesh. You vowed you would fight for your comrades. Was **she** not someone you would fight for?”_

She claps her hands over her ears and squeezes her eyes shut. In the back of her mind, she can hear the cries of Pixie and Jack O’ Lantern sounding in agreement. They pull at her hands, trying to get her to put them back to her side.

_“This wasn’t a mistake. You awoke me for a reason, rebenok. I refuse to go back to sleep.”_

A pair of hands are on her shoulders, grounding her back into reality.

Opening her eyes, she finds that the hands belong to Yusuke, who looks equally relieved and concerned. She gives him a small smile and silently thanks him by tapping his hand.

The three of them stay there for a few moments in complete silence, before Haru decides it’s best to break out of it.

“We can’t yet. We… we still need one more t-teammate. But, when we find them, we’ll, um, change his h-heart,” she decides, taking off her glasses and using her skirt to wipe off some dust. She grimaces as she instead smudges the lens. Ah, oh well.

She puts her glasses back on and sighs.

“So, what do we do in the meantime? We can’t just sit around and hope for the best. We could try and ask the volleyball team, but… I don’t know how well that’ll work,” Yusuke offers, running a hand through his hair.

“Whatever you all have planned, I want in.”

Three heads whip around at the voice, three pairs of wide eyes meeting with someone they didn’t expect to come by. Well, Yusuke and Haru, at least. Goro was oblivious to who in the world she was.

Makoto’s face is stained from tears, but her fists are clenched, and her eyes burn with determination.

Haru watches her, sees how her entire form is shaking, and feels a pang of sympathy.

But she isn’t fit to fight. Not right now.

Yusuke steps forward before Haru can get a word in.

“Makoto, you can’t do this. This isn’t… this isn’t your fight,” Yusuke tries to reason, but Makoto is already up in his face, which, with the height difference, would have been comical if the situation wasn't so dire.

“No, whatever you’re up to, I need to be involved. I’m Shiho’s best friend, Yusuke. I want to make sure he pays for what he’s done,” Makoto replies, and Haru goes cold at the immense seriousness in the girl’s voice.

Yusuke grimaces, looking away. “I know, but Makoto, you don’t understand-“

“Who’s that, anyways? He isn’t wearing the uniform.” They turn their heads to look at Goro, who gives a small wave and a friendly smile.

“Ah, it looks as though we’ve found our fourth team member, yes? Although, she does look like that one girl with the lingerie…” Goro trails off as he realizes that Makoto’s expression turns from curiosity to downright confusion.

“W-Wha?! Lingerie? No, I’ve- I’ve never worn something so gross!” Makoto exclaims, her face turning red at the thought. Haru glances over to Yusuke. She looks back at Makoto, and she suddenly feels Pixie pulling at her heart.

She takes a step forward without really meaning to. Pixie cries out, pulling harder, but Haru refuses to be caught off guard this time.

But she realizes that there’s a reason Pixie may have been pulling her.

“S-Sorry, Yusuke. W-We need another teammate. G-Goro’s already said this is a f-four-person job. If she isn’t able to do w-what we can, then we’ll find s-someone else. For right… for right now, let’s go in and s-see what we c-can do,” Haru says, avoiding the betrayed look her friend sends her.

Goro claps his hands together to get their attention.

“Alright, then. Shall we get going? I’m getting rather cold, and the Metaverse is far warmer,” he suggests with a coy smile that makes Haru roll her eyes.

“R-Right. Let’s do this,” she mumbles, quickly tapping into the MetaNav and choosing the only location that pops up.

“We’re going to give that bastard what he deserves,” Yusuke assures with a grin, putting a hand on Haru’s shoulder as the four of them slowly fade into the Metaverse.

Haru closes her eyes.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 15_  
_Friday_  
 _After School_  
 _Castle of Lust_

 

When Haru opens her eyes, she finds herself looking up at the sky first. Its unnaturally red hue is uncomfortable, but she supposes that it’s fitting for such an unusual place.

She finds herself adjusting her gloves, and her eyes dart around to glance at their surroundings.

There aren’t any shadows outside the castle, but Pixie and Jack O’ Lantern’s voices are urging for her to do so anyways. Lady Death stays as neutral as ever, which Haru appreciates.

Slowly, she rests her eyes on her three companions. Yusuke is clumsily trying to gather the bullets from a clip he accidentally dropped, and Goro is watching him in disappointment.

Makoto, meanwhile, is staring up at the castle in a mix of awe and confusion.

“What… What is this place?” Makoto whispers, looking around and jumping back at the sight of the other three. “Whoa! Who are you- Wait, Haru? Yusuke?!”

“Yes and no. Call her Jester, and call me Hawk! We have to use codenames, or… what’ll happen again, Ace?” Yusuke asks, to which Goro rolls his eyes and puts his hands on his hips.

“Were you even listening? I said I’m not sure. Nothing good, though. And would you quite fumbling around with those bullets? I’ll get it for you.” Yusuke reluctantly hands the clip and his pistol over to Goro, who flawlessly loads the gun and snaps it into place with practiced ease. “See? Easy.”

Yusuke begrudgingly snatches the gun from Goro, grumbling under his breath and saying “See? Easy.” under his breath in a mock-sweet voice.

“Since you seem to be good with only pistols and handguns, and I say that very loosely, I’ll switch over to something else. Bass Reeves will most likely give me something else to use. And as for her…” Goro trails off, staring at Makoto in silence. “Well, I can’t give you a codename without something to base it off of. So, whoever you are, we’ll just…”

Goro makes a motion with his hands, obviously not knowing what to do. He gives Haru a look that asks for her assistance, but she just shrugs.

“We’ll just c-call her by, um… her real name. Sorry, Makoto.” Makoto shrugs.

“It’s whatever? By the way, what’s uh, what’s going on with this place? I’m trying to stay calm, but… no, screw that, this is insane! What’s this castle supposed to be, why are you guys dressed up, and why is… why is the sky red?!” Makoto exclaims, and Haru realizes that they have some explaining to do.

Well, at least they could do it on their way to the latest safe room that they'd found the yesterday.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 15_  
_Friday_  
_???  
_ _???_

 

Futaba Sakura is no fool. She has never been one.

She has always been the hard worker, always the teacher’s pet.

She has always been the loner, always the one to never understand _why_  she’s so alone.

Futaba knows that she’s supposed to be able to connect to her peers.

She knows that she’s supposed to be a good Student Council President.

_But how can she do that when nobody wants to talk to her?_

Futaba didn’t know Shiho Suzui very well.

All Futaba knows was that she had been on the volleyball team.

And, like all of the others, she seemed to have bruises.

Mr. Kamoshida seemed nice.

He was encouraging.

He gave Futaba the light of day.

He told her how Haru Iwai and Yusuke Kitagawa had spoken to him.

She had felt her stomach churn.

She knew the rumors.

Haru Iwai was a murderer.

Haru Iwai was a drug dealer.

Haru Iwai was a member of the yakuza.

_Haru Iwai was-_

But, could she really believe it?

She doesn’t know what to believe.

She isn’t a fool.

She isn’t dumb.

But, why does she feel like she is?

She doesn’t know what to believe about Makoto Niijima.

She doesn’t know what to believe about Yusuke Kitagawa.

She doesn’t know what to believe about Shiho Suzui.

But, she does believe something.

Futaba believes she knows why Shiho Suzui jumped.

She can’t do anything about it.

Futaba Sakura is no fool.

She knows she’s too young to convince anyone otherwise.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 15_  
_Friday_  
 _After School_  
 _Castle of Lust_

Walking through Kamoshida’s palace, Haru feels as though she’s slowly being suffocated. She never noticed it until now. But, Haru has to physically protect someone who doesn’t have a means of protecting herself now.

Makoto was able to understand the cognitive world only slightly. Not fully, but slightly.

Which is why when the first shadows were ambushed, the first sight of personas left her for a loop.

Makoto jumps back at the sight of Lady Death and yells “Ew!” at the sight of Nostradamus.

“What do you mean, “ew?!”” Yusuke demands, rolling out of the way of a mandrake and burning it once he found the opening. With a screech it falls to the floor alongside its brethren, which are convulsing on the floor in pain.

Haru lets out a sigh, raising her hand to order an all-out attack on the poor plants.

Goro was silent for once, not commenting on the fact that Haru was _actually_  utilizing a technique he had taught her.

“You heard what I said! It looks gross! It has a lot of blood!” Makoto exclaims, putting her hands over her eyes. Yusuke lets out a frustrated huff and puts his mask back on.

“Maybe so, but he’s pretty helpful,” Yusuke finally says, putting his hands on his hips as he waits for Haru to finish with putting away the shadow’s dropped trinkets.

“Personas are an extension of yourself, Makoto-chan. They’re how we’re going to be able to get through this palace,” Goro explains, readjusting his scarf and pushing up his mask.

Makoto moves her hands away from her eyes and sighs in relief at the lack of bloody hellspawns.

“Right… Do I have one?” Haru doesn’t miss the tinge of hope in her voice.

Goro shrugs and looks at Haru.

Right. They need to get back to business.

Haru decides to lead them through the palace, and they do make some progress. Makoto apparently knows a thing or two about firing a gun.

This revelation was made after Goro was downed by some wind attack, and Makoto had snatched the firearm and _blasted the shadows to kingdom come._

“We can’t have another one of you! Only one! I was first, but I suppose Yusuke will have to do! So, no! None of that, thank you!” Goro calls from the ground. Haru gently lifts him up, and Yusuke smacks Goro over the head with a healing spell.

“I need a way to defend myself. You seem to know enough, right?” Makoto replies, sticking her tongue out of the corner of her mouth as she practices aiming. Goro rolls his eyes and waves her off.

“I’m almost too scared to ask how in the world you know how to fire that. Honestly, how do _two of you_  know how to use a pistol? And, give that back, will you?” he demands, narrowing his eyes at her.

“None of your business. I think I’d do better with some sort of bow, though…” Makoto trails off, handing the gun back to Goro after a bit of hesitation. Haru decides to snap her fingers to get everyone’s attention.

“Stay focused, e- w-wait, how do y… you… never mind. Hawk, t-that room from before. W-We couldn’t get in yesterday. Would you like to, um, check it out?” Haru asks, and watches as Yusuke brightens and nods.

“Thought you’d never ask!”

When they get to this room, one that is preceded by a line of armor, Haru regrets ever even wanting to investigate. She hears Makoto gag and Yusuke shift over to offer some support.

Haru wants to close her eyes and forget that what she was seeing was a part of Kamoshida’s mind.

Sitting before her were countless topless girls, arms wrapped around themselves and one another.

Near the back of the room was the cognitive Makoto. Her lips curl upwards at the sight of the newcomers, but it vanishes as soon as her eyes land on her real-world counterpart.

“Ah, so the little bitch decided to come _here_  and beg for forgiveness, yes? I’m not surprised. After that stunt Shi-chan pulled, I’m not surprised that you’d want some sort of relief from Sugu-kun,” the cognitive version purrs, curling one of her pained nails around a pigtail.

Her eyes flash yellow for a moment.

The real Makoto, meanwhile, is not taking this version of herself very well.

“What the hell _is_  that?! Is that what you guys were talking about earlier?! Why does she look like _me?”_  Makoto demands.

The shadow teasingly slips down one of her bra straps.

Makoto flushes and puts her hands over her eyes.

“That, Makoto, is how Kamoshida sees you. It’s pretty gross,” Yusuke explains, his nose wrinkling up at the sight of the shadow.

“And why else wouldn’t he? I’m his property. I am his queen, and…” Cognitive Makoto falters, putting a hand over her chest. “No… Why would he…”

A pained sound escapes the cognitive Makoto’s mouth, and she covers it as she begins to cough. A black liquid slips through her fingers, dripping onto the ground.

“You… you’ve ruined it! You’ve ruined everything!” Cognitive Makoto screeches as her form suddenly seizes backwards.

“What’s going on? Why’s she doing that?” Makoto whispers to Haru, who doesn’t answer as the cognitive version begins to morph.

The black liquid coming from her mouth envelopes her in a dome, and after a few moments it explodes, revealing a woman dressed in sheer black silks. The woman’s eyes are red and her hair is brown, but from her mouth sprouts hundreds of black tentacles. A large pair of wings unfurl from her back.

“You should be grateful, you worthless whore! If you had chosen to obey me, none of this would have happened!” the demon screams, yet it’s most definitely not Makoto’s voice.

The real Makoto, meanwhile, is frozen in fear as she stares up at the creature.

Haru lets out a huff and pushes Makoto out of the way as the demon pounces at her.

Haru rips off her mask and calls for Lady Death, who blocks the creature’s claws with her rifle arm. A burning red-hot pain streaks up Haru's arm.

She doesn’t know when Shadow Kamoshida shows up, but he does with minimal fanfare. Moments later, Makoto is letting out a strangled cry as two guards grab onto her arms and begin pulling her away from the three fighters.

Kamoshida grabs Makoto’s chin and forces her to look up at him.

“How dare this imposter prance around my castle, sullying my obedient queen’s name? You’ll die for this!” he growls, releasing her face as if it burnt him.

Yusuke takes a few shots at the demon, yelling out a warning as said demon crashes into Lady Death yet again. He whips around to look for Goro, clenching his teeth in frustration.

“Goro, the hell, dude! You have to back us up!” he calls out, clumsily rolling out of the way of one of the demon’s attacks.

Haru calls away Lady Death and uses Pixie to heal herself. “F-Focus on the monster! D-Don’t worry about me!” Haru tells Yusuke, who reluctantly nods and sends a fire attack at their opponent. It barely affects her, and she whips around to attack once again.

A bolt of electricity surges through the air and hits the demon’s chest. Goro sighs out a curse, coming out from behind his hiding place.

“You two really should try to sneak up on her,” he comments, but neither of them choose to respond.

The creature wails in pain, and she unleashes a wave of energy that knocks all three of them off of their feet. Yet, she waits. She awaits an order from her king.

“Damn imposter… You better be thankful I’m not torturing you,” Kamoshida hisses to Makoto. She hangs her head low, and Haru feels as though she knows why her acquaintance looks so defeated.

“Don’t let him w-win, Makoto! T-This wasn’t your fault!” Haru calls out, not knowing if it'll even reach her.

Yet, it does. Makoto lifts her head once again, and a smile momentarily crosses her face before her focus shifts back to Kamoshida.

Makoto grits her teeth and kicks out her legs, managing to hit Kamoshida’s jaw with her foot. He stumbles back in surprise.

“You bitch! Guards, kill her!” he orders with a wave of his hand. Makoto wriggles herself from the hold of the two guards and kicks the closer one away from her. She clenches her teeth in pain, but otherwise doesn’t react to it.

“No, I’m not dying here! You’d better get ready, because I’m coming for you, you disgusting, lust-filled dirtbag!” Makoto shouts, jumping back from the arms of one of the guards.

The air in the room becomes colder as Makoto takes ahold of the kicked guard and its armor completely freezes over.

Makoto jumps back in surprise, looking down at her now-shaking hands.

Finally, a voice comes through, and even now, Haru can hear how it sounds similar to Makoto. But there’s still that accent, yet Haru can’t quite pin down what it is.

 _“_ _Zhōngyú! I’ve been waiting, mèimei.”_

Makoto holds her head with a startled gasp, trying to find where the voice is coming from. She takes a step forward, shattering the floor beneath her in doing so.

 _“Thou know thy sins, yes? Then, let’s skip those silly pleasantries and get on with it! She has suffered not by our hand, but because we doubted her ability. Now, this man has trampled over her, and expects us to beg for forgiveness? I believe we should demand retribution!”_  In stark contrast to Nostradamus and Lady Death, this persona is far less formal. It sounds almost like an older sister, if Haru had to admit.

Makoto screams again, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to subside the shivers that are coursing through her as the air becomes colder, colder, _colder-_

 _“Vow to me,_ _mèimei. Vow to protect the ones you love, and to create your own story. Rise from the depths of the sea and claim your beauty as your own! Be bound by no man, and strive for your words to be law!”_

A mask appears on her face. Pastel blue in color, it’s decorated with the Roman numerals VI on the forehead. Under her eyes are two silver crescent moons that face one another.

 _“I am thou. Thou art I. Our contract,_ _mèimei?”_

“I accept.” Makoto’s words are final, and she rips off her mask with one large pull, screaming in agony as the blood splatters onto her hands and drips onto the floor.

The entire room drops at least ten degrees, and a ray of ice shoots from the dust that is beginning to settle.

As the ice pierces through the creature’s chest, Makoto jumps from the settled dust and whips a crossbow out from behind her back.

_“A gift from your father. Cherish it!”_

On Makoto’s back is a naginata with a pale blue ribbon tied right where the handle meets the blade.

_"A gift from your mother! Treasure it!”_

“I will… and I’ll be sure to work alongside you…” Makoto raises her hand, and a laugh echoes through the room as her persona finally comes into view, standing over her almost menacingly, “Ching Shih!”

“Yes, get it, Makoto!” Yusuke yells with cupped hands before slapping both Haru and Goro over the head with a healing spell. “I don’t think I can do much more of this… I’m getting pretty tired.”

Goro nods, looking over to an eager Makoto. “Yes, that’s understandable, but for now, let’s help her.”

Makoto is in what appears to be a navy blue, sleeveless tunic that has a light blue belt wrapped around the waist. Under the tunic is a pastel blue tangzhuang. She has leather bracers over her forearms, and under the tunic is also a pair of baggy blue pants with black combat boots. Her gloves are bright blue, and it nearly sets off the entire ensemble.

Behind her is her persona, Ching Shih. It appears to be an amalgamation of a shark’s features and a woman’s body. Its skin is light grey, and its eyes glow a soft yellow. A grin is stretched across its face, showing off rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth. It has its hair mostly down, but some is tied back in a messy bun and instead of ears, it has a pair of fins. It wears a simple blouse and skirt, but it has a belt that not only holds its currently sheathed sword, but a row of bodiless heads that all frown. A shark tail swishes back and forth threateningly, and if Haru looks closer, she could see the gills on the persona’s neck, as well as the fins on its forearms and back.

“I’m counting on you,” Haru says with a smile that grows when Makoto grins right back.

“Right! Let’s kick some ass!”

Ching Shih unsheathes its sword and raises it in agreement, pointing another ray of ice into the demon.

 _“Then it is done. From now on, we are partners. I look forward to our arrangement,_ _mèimei.”_

The demon falls to the floor with a wail.

Haru raises her hand for an all-out attack, and the four of them barrage the creature with multiple attacks.

Makoto lands perfectly on her feet, does a twirl, shoots behind herself with her crossbow, and somehow manages to finish off the creature with that blow.

She gives the three a thumbs-up, but then collapses to the ground with a groan.

Yusuke and Haru both help Makoto to her feet, and they make their way to the last safe room.

From there, they trek back to the Palace’s entrance, and return to the real world.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 15_  
_Friday_  
 _After School_  
 _Shūjin Academy_

 

_“You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.”_

The four teenagers find themselves outside Shūjin Academy. Goro begins to mutter something about how to ground is dirty, but the other three don’t pay attention.

“That was…” Makoto trails off, wriggling out of Haru and Yusuke’s hold to face them. “That was really… weird, but also, pretty cool. So, is that what you two did yesterday when you were 'touring Shibuya?'”

Haru lets out a cough and looks away while Yusuke sheepishly nods.

“I knew it! Yusuke has no sense of direction, so I had a feeling you were lying, but I didn’t expect… that? I don’t know what I thought you two had been doing,” Makoto admits, tapping her pointer finger and thumb together as she thinks.

“Well, that’s it, right? We have a team?” Yusuke asks suddenly, ignoring Makoto’s jab at him. Haru looks back to Makoto, who nods with a smile.

“I guess w-we do… Um, welcome to the team?” Haru says, and Makoto nods with a grin.

“Thanks! I won’t let you down,” she replies, jumping in surprise as her phone starts ringing. She pulls it out and her eyebrows furrow in confusion. “Sis is calling me? What for?”

When Makoto answers her phone, she has to hold it a few inches away from her ear as Sae’s voice yells through the receiver. Makoto waits until Sae is done yelling to finally answer.

“I’m so sorry, sis. I must have turned my phone off…” she trails off, and grimaces. “Haru and Yusuke were calming me down… Wait, you _called mom?!”_

Yusuke lets out a laugh, and Haru sends him a confused glance.

“Oh, you’re in for it, Makoto. Your mom doesn’t mess around!” Makoto sends him a glare as she listens to what Sae’s saying.

“Okay… Okay, I’ll get on the next train and get home… I’m fine, sis… Yes, yes, I’m sure. My friends helped me out.”

Makoto says her goodbyes to her sister and finally hangs out with a heaved sigh.

“I gotta get home. Both of my parents are home now, and now both they and Sae are going to be breathing down my neck about what happened…” Makoto trails off, and Goro decides to change the subject before it can get too heavy.

“Well, what’s our plan of action, leader?”

“F-For now, we need to s-stay under the radar… We a-also need to prepare… for future infiltrations, t-that is. And, Goro, w-what about you? W-What are you going to do? F-Furthermore, what were you doing in t-the Metaverse?” Haru looks over to the boy in question, who shrugs and gives her a nervous smile.

“Well, that’s an interesting story. I don’t have a place to go because, well… I’m… not sure why I was in that place. I was in there for a while, if my memory serves me right. Speaking of which, my memory is as good as a goldfish’s. I… I don’t remember anything about myself. I only know that my name is Goro, I am seventeen years old, and… I was hiding from somebody very powerful.”

Silence hangs heavily over the group as they absorb this information, and Makoto decides to break the ice now.

“You don’t know anything about yourself other than your name, your age, and _that?”_ The entire group lets out a collective groan in exasperation.

“Well, my apartment’s a definite no. It’s too small,” Yusuke says, looking back and forth between the two girls for their verdicts.

“My parents aren’t too keen on strangers suddenly coming in and living in their house,” Makoto replies, and now everyone’s eyes are on Haru.

She lets out a sigh and shrugs.

“W-We’ll see. I, um, don’t know how m-my uncle would react…” Haru replies, and she realizes that it feels awkward to refer to Iwai as her relative. As it should, she supposes.

She’s never really had any contact with her other relatives, especially after her father took over Okumura Foods. Haru had been separated from her concerned aunts and uncles, who worried that Kunikazu’s grief was too much, that he would work himself to death.

And then, there was-

“Alright, well, if it doesn’t work out, I’ll find some other place to stay!” Goro replies with a smile, dragging Haru out of her thoughts. Letting out a shaky breath, she nods quietly.

Yusuke sends her a concerned glance, but she ignores it. She waves goodbye to the two of them and motions for Goro to follow her.

“Let’s g-go, then,” she mutters, not waiting for him to follow as she walks back to the train station. When they get off the train at Shibuya, she remembers that Goro still doesn't have shoes, so she quickly spends about 1,000 yen on a pair of rather cheap shoes.

Goro doesn’t complain, thankfully, and they board the next train to Yongen-Jaya. At some point during the train ride, Goro pulls his hood over his head and crosses his arms over his chest. Haru finds herself moving away from him as he gets closer.

“Pers… Personal space, G-Goro…” she mutters, receiving a sort of half-apology from him.

Arriving at Dumas, Iwai is waiting for her. For a moment, she swears that she sees concern on his face, but it's gone the moment he sees Goro.

“Where’ve you been? The school called in to tell me that the day had ended early, so I expected you to be home earlier… And who’s this?” Iwai gets straight to the point in no time, expectantly staring her down. She glances around and sees that it’s just them in the café, which would surprise her if she wasn’t trying to come up with an excuse, as well as an explanation.

“My friends, um, Makoto and Yusuke… They were c-close to the g-girl who jumped… I couldn’t just- I couldn’t just leave them…” Haru trails off, her hands clenching the end of her skirt as she stares down at the floor.

She’s waiting for him to get angry.

She’s waiting for him to start yelling and cursing at her and telling her that she needs to be _good-_

Instead, Iwai hums and crosses his arms. “Alright, whatever. You’re fine, kid. What about him, though?” Iwai asks again, nodding towards Goro.

Goro stiffens and hides his face under his hood a bit more.

“Um…” Haru’s panicking, and of course, Goro can’t help because he’s panicking too. “He doesn’t have a place to stay. His parents…” she trails off, gently elbowing Goro for some form of help.

Goro lifts his head with a start, and he quickly averts his eyes when Iwai raises a brow at him.

“They threw me out, sir… I don’t have a place to stay, and… Haru-chan was nice enough to offer me such a thing. I’m not very annoying, I promise. I’ll stay out of the way, and I can help you in whatever way you wish. I just need a place to stay for a while, I can’t-“

“Geez, fine. You can stay. Just don’t expect me to help you out if he gets into trouble. You’re gonna have to stay upstairs with her, though. I don’t have room where I live. I dunno about another mattress, but I’ll figure something out,” Iwai says.

Haru lets out a short sigh of relief, and quietly tells Goro to go upstairs. With some genuine thanks towards Iwai, Goro does just that, leaving Haru alone with her guardian.

“So, you’re making friends already, eh? And you brought home a boy who needs a place to stay…” he trails off, but it’s obvious he wants at least some answers.

Haru sighs, sitting down at one of the stools in front of the counter.

“T-That’s Goro. He’s… not a s-student, just a k-kid I noticed at the station… I think… I think he’s hiding from someone. I-I don’t know who, j-just someone… Maybe a f-family member, someone else, w-who knows. I’ll k-keep him in check, though,” she assures. and Iwai rolls his eyes, handing her a wad of cash. She takes it with a curious tilt of her head, her eyes widening as she realizes how much is in the wad.

“He can stay here for as long as he needs. By the way, your dad’s gonna send you that much every other week. Don’t spend it all in one place, got it?” he warns, and Haru nods. “Good. I’m closin’ up shop, so you should get to bed. School’s cancelled for tomorrow, from what that phone call told me. Sleep in if you need to.”

Haru nods again, waving him goodbye as he leaves.

She goes upstairs to find that Goro is already working on her semi-clean room that she hasn’t bothered to even look at since she’s gotten here.

“Your room is filthy, Miss Haru-chan! I’m going to be sleeping on that couch, if you don’t mind, but I need to make sure that it’s at least breathable in that area. Now, get over here and help me with this!”

Haru decides that it’s best not to argue with him, so she cleans until he determines that his area of the room is “good enough”.

With that, Haru flops onto her bed, cringing inwardly as she hears a familiar operatic voice. She suspects she knows what's going on.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

When she opens her eyes to find a blank, dark blue ceiling accompanied by rich blue walls, Haru’s suspicions are proven correct.

She gets to her feet and walks up to the bars.

“You’ve finally returned, inmate! About time!” Yuuki snaps, sending a glare that she rolls her eyes at despite herself. Yuuki curses something under his breath, but it’s quickly replaced by a short sigh. “It’s been a few days, inmate. My master was beginning to fret that you had lost your way already.”

Igor lets out a chuckle that catches Haru’s attention. Yuuki turns back towards Igor without another word.

“Welcome back, Trickster. In your absence, I can tell you’ve made a few allies. I have gifted them the Metaverse Navigator for their abilities,” it explains, tapping its fingers on the wooden desk. “Though, I can sense that you’ve discovered your abilities as the Wild Card. Excellent. You’ve no doubt heard the voices of your allies’ personas as well, yes?”

Haru nods in confirmation, sending a glance towards Yuuki, who’s docile at the moment. It won’t be for long, though. She can see how he’s tensing up, as if he senses how she’s staring at him.

“Personas are your sign of rebellion against this corrupt society,” Igor begins, snapping its fingers and materializing a tarot card. It flips this card to show Lady Death’s face, strangely grim as it pulses with dark energy. Igor lowers its hand to allow the card to float.

“Yet, they are also your armor. They are extensions of yourself, your shadow, essentially.” The card begins to turn, but the other side of the card shows Bass Reeves now, the creature’s maw crackling with electricity and its white eyes brighter than ever.

“Shadows, as you already know from your brief encounters in the Metaverse, are personifications of one’s darkest desires.” The card flips again to show Nostradamus, the black pits in its mask burning with an unholy flame as runes curl around its head.

“As such, your Persona is not only an extension of yourself, but your deepest desires for whoever you may see as the ideal partner.” The card flips once more to show Ching Shih, which grins as it holds up one of the bodiless heads while ice swirls around both faces.

“That partner could be whatever you may imagine. A friend… or family.” Finally, the card flips to show Lady Death’s image once again, though something feels… more familiar than ever.

It makes Haru sick to her stomach.

_How does it know about-_

“Therefore, inmate, you must hone your skills, and ensure that your relationship with your first Persona, as well as between your allies and their Personas, are beneficial and healthy,” Yuuki drones, his yellow eyes suddenly watching her with mild interest.

She silently nods, pursing her lips together as the card on Igor’s desk vanishes.

“This world has been corrupted, inmate. It is best to bond with those who will prove to be beneficial to your cause,” Yuuki says, snapping his fingers to get her attention. He holds out his hand expectantly.

She puts out her hand in curiosity.

Yuuki places three tarot cards in her hand. Looking down, she is faced with the Magician, the Lovers, and the Chariot. “These represent your three allies. They will be imperative to your rehabilitation. Keep them close to you, and your chances of a successful rehabilitation will increase.”

“T-Thanks…” Haru replies lamely. Yuuki rolls his eyes and turns away. His indifference turns to annoyance.

“Consider it an honor, inmate. Your first week of rehabilitation draws to a close, but you still have a way to go,” he mutters, glancing towards Igor for approval. It nods and looks up as the bell rings through the prison.

“I could not have said it better, boy. Until we meet again, Trickster.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

_April 16_   
_Saturday_   
_Early Morning_   
_Dumas Café Attic_

 

Haru wakes with a start, which she dully realizes seems to be a constant when she goes to the Velvet Room.

Her phone buzzes. She ignores it as she gets up to grab her glasses, but she takes it as it begins to repeatedly buzz over and over.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Haru sees Makoto and Yusuke’s names popping up repeatedly, almost competitively seeing who can force her to reply first.

 

 _Yusuke: Okay, so, group chat._  
_Yusuke: I don’t want to message both of you separately._  
  
_Makoto ☾: Yusuke, it’s seven in the morning_  
_Makoto ☾: Why are you awake?_  
  
_Yusuke: It’s called working the night shift?_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Huh, that’s weird_  
_Makoto ☾: Because I have this thing called…_  
_Makoto ☾: Letting me ask my parents to help you with bills_  
  
_Yusuke: No._  
  
_Makoto ☾: Yes!_  
  
_Yusuke: No!_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Yes!!_  
  
_Yusuke: nO!_  
  
_Makoto ☾: yES!_  
  
_Yusuke: I’m not going to be a burden!_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Yusuke I am going to tell you something_  
_Makoto ☾: And it will sound wild to you_  
  
_Yusuke: Oh yeah? What’s that?_  
  
_Makoto ☾: You are not a burden if people actively want to help you_  
_Makoto ☾: BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT ONE_  
_Makoto ☾: I will KICK YOUR BUTT if you try to convince me otherwise_  
_Makoto ☾: Because you are a GOOD PERSON, no matter what you think_  
  
_Yusuke: You’re right, that is wild._  
_Yusuke: ╥﹏╥_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Wait are you actually crying_  
_Makoto ☾: DID I MAKE YOU CRY OH MY GOSH_  
  
_Yusuke: NO! SCREW OFF!_  
  
_Haru: good morning to you two as well_

There’s a pause, and Haru smiles tiredly. The pause spans for about two minutes before she’s flooded by a wide array of apologies. Then, finally, Yusuke says something that piques her interest.

_Yusuke: I can show you the place I got my replica from._  
_Yusuke: The shop belongs to one of my mom’s old friends._  
  
_Haru: sounds good to me_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Can I come with?_  
_Makoto☾: I’d like to see what this place’s variety is!_  
_Makoto☾: And if they have crossbows…_  
  
_Yusuke: Trust me, they have just about everything._  
_Yusuke: I think I saw a replica grenade launcher once._  
  
_Makoto☾: **what.jpg**_  
  
_Yusuke: You heard me._  
_Yusuke: Did I stutter, Niijima?_  
  
_Makoto ☾: No, no you did not._  
  
_Yusuke: Damn right!_

 

Haru glances over to Goro, who is beginning to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He looks over to her and tilts his head.

“Um, Yusuke and Makoto… They’re g-going to some place with r-replicas… W-Would you like to come along?” she asks, watching as panic briefly flashes across his face.

“No, I’d prefer to stay up here, and… I can continue to clean your room!” he replies with an enthusiastic grin. Haru rolls her eyes.

“W-What would you like, then?” she asks, and Goro thinks.

“Oh, I know!”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 16_  
_Saturday_  
 _Afternoon_  
 _Airsoft Shop_

 

When Haru walks into Untouchable, she first takes notice of the display cases that show very realistic firearms and melee weapons, all of which are decorated by price tags asking for lucrative amounts of money.

Well, Haru can understand. If this is an independent business, then yes, the manager most definitely could up the prices.

“See anything you like?” Haru whips around to find a woman behind the counter. She has her feet up on the display case, leaning back in her chair. She doesn’t look up from the magazine she’s reading, but she does when Yusuke laughs. The woman removes her feet from the display and leans forward.

She’s in her early thirties at least, and her hair is disheveled but cut in an otherwise nice-looking bob. It almost looks like it’s a dark blue, but maybe that’s Haru’s eyes playing tricks on her. Her eyes are brown, and they look over the group with a bit of interest. She has a cigarette between her lips, and she takes a final drag from it before spinning her chair around, so she can crush it in the ashtray.

She wears a black leather jacket with a few pins adorning it: a white medical cross, a silver gecko, and a blue skull. It appears she’s wearing some sort of band shirt underneath, but all she can see is a white lightning bolt. Partially hidden by the jacket is what looks like the wings to a butterfly tattoo. She wears a pair of jeans with a few rips in them, and her shoes are black sneakers.

Yusuke leans on the counter with a grin, sticking his tongue out at her.

“Ah, so you’re back. What do you want, brat?” she says with a smirk, standing up quickly and pulling Yusuke’s head down so she can ruffle his hair. “Where’s my pistol, huh? How’s it looking? Did you modify anything?”

Yusuke nods and pulls out his pistol for the woman to inspect. She thumbs the trigger, eyebrows furrowing as she seems to notice something.

“Have you… been using this?” she asks, narrowing her eyes as Yusuke lets out a nervous laugh and nods. Haru resists the urge to smack her forehead, but Makoto does it for her.

“Just to show my friends!” he amends, “They thought I was carrying a real one, so I showed them that it was fake by pulling the trigger. Since it’s spring-loaded, it doesn’t do anything,” Yusuke motions towards the two girls behind him.

The woman looks between them and rolls her eyes. “Got it. Well, it does look like you successfully put that silencer on. Just remember not to take this thing out in public. You don’t want to get arrested. I don’t need Kaori overworking herself by yelling at me.”

Yusuke’s smile falls for a moment, and he laughs again to distract himself.

“Tae-chan, you’d never let her start. By the way, how’s K-“

The woman, Tae, apparently, cuts him off by vaulting over the display counter and motioning towards Makoto and Haru with narrowed eyes.

“So, these’re the friends you were talking about?” she asks, though her eyes widen slightly at the sight of Makoto. “Hey, I know you. You were one of Yusuke’s junior high friends, right? Good to see you came around.” Makoto shoots a look at Yusuke, who seems to find the display cases the most interesting thing to look at right now.

“Something like that… More like this idiot tried to be a martyr by cutting ties. This girl helped us get back into the groove of things,” Makoto replies, sticking her thumb out towards Haru. Tae glances over to Haru and gives a small wave.

“It’s nice to hear that. You keep both of them out of trouble, got it?” she tells her, and Haru feels her face heat up.

_Ah, shit…_

“O-Of course!” she finally says after a few moments, ignoring Yusuke’s snickers to instead look around once more. Finally, her eyes land on the specific gun that Goro asked for.

“Tae-chan, my friends were actually interested in seeing the replicas you have,” Yusuke says, interrupting her thoughts. He looks around and clicks his tongue. “Makoto, look! I told you she’d have crossbows!”

Indeed, there were a few crossbows lined up behind the counter.

“Haru, what about you? There are some model sniper rifles right over there!” Yusuke chirps, and Haru feels her face heat up even more when Tae’s eyes land on her again.

“Oh, so you’re looking for those types of models? Well, there’re a few over there,” she nods towards a shelf behind Haru, “and, sorry, but I’m pretty limited on my stock with them. They’re pretty expensive.”

Haru gives a shrug, but she makes sure to quietly thank Tae for her help.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 16_  
_Saturday_  
 _Daytime_  
 _Shibuya_

“Oh my _god_ , Haru. You were _so red,”_ Makoto laughs, and Haru tries to ignore how her face heats up in embarrassment as Yusuke laughs in agreement.

“O-Oh, sure, laugh at m-me when I was the one w-who bought your t-things, Yusuke,” she growls back to the boy.

“I said I’d pay for it myself, but you pushed me out of the way to do it yourself!” Yusuke retaliates, shaking the paper bag for emphasis. It has his original pistol with a few extra parts he’d add later. He held another package in his arms. A _sword_ , something that had Tae sending him bewildered looks as he searched through the selection.

“B-Because you w-wouldn’t be able to pay for it, a-and you know it,” Haru replies, readjusting the package on her back and gripping the paper bag in her hands a bit tighter. A few daggers that Yusuke had _insisted_ she get and Goro's new gun.

Makoto, meanwhile, looks the least suspicious as she holds both of her packages in her arms. She innocently apologizes as she bumps into a few people.

“She’s got you there, Yusuke,” Makoto relents, jumping in surprise as her phone starts ringing. Makoto readjusts the packages in her arms to grab it, groaning in exasperation as she sees the contact name. “I told my dad that I’d be back in a few hours!”

A beat.

“Ah, wait, it has been a few hours! Oh geez, I hope he isn’t too worried!” Haru watches as Makoto hastily answers and greets her father over the phone, rambling out an apology and telling him that it wouldn’t happen again, and _she’d be home as soon as possible. Yes, sorry again, she’d get on the next train._

When the call’s over, she smiles apologetically and bumps elbows with Haru. “I have to go, but I’ll see the both of you tomorrow, yeah? Text me if something comes up!”

“Don’t worry, we won’t!” Yusuke replies with a shit-eating grin on his face. Makoto flips him off, and then she’s gone in the crowd.

Yusuke glances back to Haru and checks his phone. He groans tiredly but sends Haru a reassuring smile.

“I gotta go, but I’ll text you tonight,” he assures, and Haru nods. She waves to him as he leaves and turns to go back to where she came from.

Standing in the alleyway next to an ethereal prison door is Yuuki, who’s quietly tapping a pen on a clipboard and writes something down as a person walks out from Untouchable. His yellow eyes look up from his work as she approaches. He huffs out a sigh and motions back to the prison door.

“Greetings, inmate. I nearly thought you were ignoring me, but I will allow it this time, as you were with your allies,” he drones, rolling his eyes as she places a hand on his shoulder, only to quickly retract it as she does, in fact, touch fabric. “Be wary, inmate. You are the only one who is capable of both seeing me and accessing the Velvet Room. In this reality, you… will appear mentally unstable if you try to have a conversation.”

Haru nods, ignoring the pit in her stomach at those words.

_Don’t think about it-_

“Either way, my master has set this door up so that you may access the Velvet Room when you aren’t unconscious. You will not have to go now, but I recommend that you try to visit. When you’re asleep, your time will be limited. When you are awake, you are capable of staying for as long as you’d like. If you have no other business here, I’ll be taking my leave,” he explains, scribbling something down on his paper as someone walks by.

“G-Got it… w-well, see you, then…” she mumbles out, shuddering as Yuuki nods and vanishes into thin air.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 16_  
_Saturday_  
 _Evening_  
 _Dumas Café_

 

Haru returns to the café, stopping in the doorway as she spots the expression on Iwai’s face.

He’s smiling. It isn’t a grin, or a smirk, but he’s _smiling_ as he makes a few gestures with his hands.

It takes a few moments, but Haru realizes that he’s using _sign language._ He’s obviously a bit of a beginner, but Haru’s interest is piqued now.

Haru glances towards where Iwai is looking, and she curses herself for not noticing that there was a customer in the café. She realizes belatedly that pulling in two packages like these is suspicious, and she was doomed from the start by living in the café. Not only would Iwai notice, but now the customer would as well.

Then again, the customer sitting at the stool in front of Iwai doesn’t seem to have noticed her just yet.

The customer smiles, and begins to sign back, though the gestures are slowed down to help Iwai keep up.

_‘I’m glad she isn’t giving you any trouble. I would feel awful if she did.’_

Iwai nods, his signing a bit disjointed as he tries to think of the right gestures.

_‘Ain’t bad at all. Just quiet. Like you. She’s only been here a week, though.’_

Haru’s face reddens when she realizes that they’re talking about _her_ , and she’s tempted to just turn around and leave for right now. Until the customer’s done and everything.

But of course, when she steps back, the wooden floor creaks, and two sets of eyes are on her.

The customer is a teenager, a boy with curly black hair and grey eyes that are obscured by a pair of black glasses

“Ah, um, I-I’m back…” she whispers, avoiding Iwai’s eyes as she shuffles towards the staircase.

The boy watches her with curious eyes, and Haru spots the Kosei High emblem on his blazer- oh, that’s right, there was school today. Well, other than Shūjin.

The boy gives her a nervous smile and a small wave. He puts his hand over what appears to be a sketchbook, his hands trembling just a little bit when he realizes that Haru’s staring.

“Whatever you got, you can put it upstairs. That kid you brought home last night hasn’t come down yet. Can you bring him this?” Iwai hands her a plate of curry that she cautiously takes, being careful to not show him the fact that she has _two fake guns and a replica dagger_   with her. He gives her a look but otherwise stays silent.

When she goes upstairs, she’s astonished to find that the place is practically spotless. Goro is fast asleep on the couch, snoring softly and snuggled up in a few blankets he must have stolen from behind her bed. She doesn’t mind, though. The desk in the corner is finally free, and sitting on it is the still-shattered paperweight from her first night here.

Looking over the pieces, she can tell that he must have tried to at least start on the repairs. He obviously didn’t get very far, but she appreciates the attempt.

She sets down the bag with his new gun next to the couch, and finally sits down on her bed. She’s tired, but she’s still curious as to who the boy is.

So, she stands up and walks downstairs to find that the two are still signing to one another.

 _‘Is he her boyfriend?’_  the boy signs, and Haru’s face heats up in embarrassment.

“N-No, just a friend…” she mumbles out. He whips around and nearly topples out of his chair, but he looks just as embarrassed now.

Iwai crosses his arms over his chest and raises a brow.

“You know JSL?” he asks. Haru nods. “How the hell didja learn that?”

Haru bites her lip and winces as she feels her nails digging into her palms, running over the old scars and the newly-healed marks from Monday.

_She was so pretty-_

_Where did you go?_

Lady Death wraps her in its embrace, and for a moment, Haru is calm. She feels safe.

“Um, s-someone taught me, when I was y-younger, that is…” she trails off, trying to ignore the way that the both of them are staring at her, trying to figure out what’s wrong.

A hand is outstretched, and Haru looks to find that the boy has put his hand up for her to shake. She does so after a few moments of hesitation.

 _‘I’m Akira Kurusu. I’m Ichuryusai Madarame’s pupil.’_  he signs, letting go of her hand so he can do so.

She signs a hello back to him. _‘I’m Haru Okumura, but you probably already knew that. It’s nice to meet you, Akira. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.’_

Akira gives her a bright smile, and her heart warms at the sight of it.

They spend the rest of the evening signing back and forth. She finds out that he attends Kosei High and is an aspiring artist. She finds herself staring in awe at the pieces he shows her in his sketchbook, blushing and insisting that they aren’t his best work.

Then, he goes silent. He checks the time and begins to pack his things.

 _‘Sensei will want me home soon. Thank you for the tea, Iwai-san… It was nice meeting you, Haru-chan!’_  

Iwai huffs and rolls his eyes. “I’ve told you a thousand times, just call me Boss. Iwai-san makes me feel old.”

Akira just shrugs and waves goodbye.

When Iwai leaves that night, Haru locks the door behind him and goes upstairs.

Goro is asleep when she goes upstairs but finds that the curry she left for him is now gone. She sighs and puts the dish on the desk. As she lays down, she realizes that maybe today would end up being a constant for Goro. He had no way of contacting them, last she checked.

She checks her phone to find about fifty unread messages, something she laughs at without really meaning to. Goro doesn’t react, he stays stationary on the couch as if nothing was happening. She begins to laugh even harder as she begins to read through what she missed.

 

 _Yusuke: Okay, I’m pissed._  
_Yusuke: Time to spill some god damn tea. ノಠ_ಠノ_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Salty Yusuke?_  
_Makoto ☾: I’m down._  
  
_Yusuke: So, here I am, minding my own business, doing my god damn job_  
_Yusuke: When some dumbass lady and her shitty kid walk in the place and go_  
_Yusuke: “Hey so the Big Bang challenge? Yeah, I want that for the two of us to get that prize.”_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Isn’t that challenge only for one person?_  
  
_Yusuke: You are correct._  
_Yusuke: Thirty minutes, one big ass burger._  
_Yusuke: You get a pin if you win, but you have to go through a few loops to get the ultimate prize._  
_Yusuke: And shit, I’d let you take it for a damn group, but this is one big ass burger._  
_Yusuke: There’s also the fact that they want the prize, which, no._  
_Yusuke: It’s one person only._  
_Yusuke: I could understand a group just wanting to save money, but this is a mom and her shitty kid trying to get the prize._  
_Yusuke: There’s no way in hell these two are going to eat this damn burger._  
_Yusuke: Mind you, it’s still daytime, so it’s still pretty damn expensive._  
  
_Makoto ☾: Right, right._  
  
_Yusuke: So I go, “Sorry, the Big Bang challenge is for one person.”_  
_Yusuke: She gives me this look like, ‘Shut the hell up.’_  
_Yusuke: And I’m about to explain to her that I can get the burger for her and her shitty kid, they just won’t be going for the prize._  
  
_Makoto ☾: Wouldn’t that be a given? I mean, you already know they won’t get the prize._  
  
_Yusuke: It’s called not assuming?_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Do not make me go to your apartment and kick your butt, Kitagawa._  
_Makoto ☾: I know where you live_  
  
_Yusuke: Bold of you to assume I fear death._  
_Yusuke: Anyways, so I’m telling this mom that she could save by just buying normal meals_  
_Yusuke: (which, by the way, I really shouldn’t have done, but hey I was basically the only one working, we never rat each other out, and part of me just wants to test my boss)_  
_Yusuke: (like, “yeah, come at me you funky little businessman. i’ve been working here for eight months and i’ve never been late, somehow. i’ve been here the longest since you had the bright idea to fire that one cook.”)_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Oh my god, so much tea!_  
_Makoto ☾: Be careful, you’re going to flood the house!_  
  
_Yusuke: So she looks me in the eyes and goes, “Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t buy. You’ll probably be stuck here for the rest of your life, so just shut up and get us the burger.”_  
  
_Makoto ☾: **EXCUSEME.jpg**_  
  
_Yusuke: RIGHT?_  
_Yusuke: So I’m standing here, obviously a bit shocked_  
_Yusuke: And all the while, her shitty kid is laughing and I’m just like_  
_Yusuke: (¬▂¬)_  
_Yusuke: Listen, I did not go into work today asking for Karen to sass me_  
  
_Makoto ☾: KAREN????_  
  
_Yusuke: It’s the first name I thought of._  
  
_Makoto ☾: BUT ITS AN ENGLISH NAME?_  
  
_Yusuke: Shush._  
_Yusuke: Anyways, so I just let them get this damn burger, cook this shit up and everything_  
_Yusuke: And, by the way, grease burns are the worst_  
_Yusuke: **Ouch.jpg**_  
  
_Makoto ☾: OH MY GOSH YUSUKE ARE YOU OKAY_  
_Makoto ☾: JEEZUM THAT LOOKS AWFUL_  
  
_Yusuke: Yeah man, don’t worry. It’ll heal up just fine._  
_Yusuke: So, I go through all this damn trouble and get Karen’s stupid damn money_  
_Yusuke: Only to watch as they spend maybe fifteen minutes trying to eat this shit._  
_Yusuke: Keep in mind, this is the first level._  
_Yusuke: Like, there are tiers._  
  
_Makoto ☾: Yes, I’m very aware._  
  
_Yusuke: If that was a sass, you can shut your mouth_  
  
_Makoto ☾: <3_  
  
_Yusuke: gun_  
  
_Makoto ☾: DID YOU JUST TYPE OUT GUN AND SEND THAT_  
  
_Yusuke: Maybe._  
  
_Makoto ☾: KJSDBKDJSFBV_  
  
_Yusuke: Anyways, so I’m watching them eat this shit_  
_Yusuke: And halfway through their time limit they just_  
_Yusuke: Get up and leave_  
_Yusuke: They don’t pick up ANY OF THIS_  
_Yusuke: So whoop-de-doo, I have to instead!_  
_Yusuke: The best part is that they made a huge ass mess! The kid was just tearing this burger apart with his grubby little hands!_  
_Yusuke: So I cleaned that shit up, and finally I’m here_  
_Yusuke: Absolutely fuming in Big Bang’s breakroom!_  
_Yusuke: This happened like three hours ago and I’m still mad!_  
  
_Makoto ☾: Be right back, I have to clean up all of the tea that’s been spilled!_  
  
_Haru: “gun” -yusuke 2kXX_  
  
_Yusuke: I’m still fuming! But!! It’s!! Fine!!_  
_Yusuke: I have to go and talk to more people… Ew._  
  
_Makoto ☾: Oh, that’s a mood._  
  
_Haru: good luck, yusuke_  
_Haru: also, we need to go out and get goro a phone_  
_Haru: he wasn’t with me today because_  
_Haru: i’m not exactly sure why_  
_Haru: probably the whole “i’m getting chased by someone” thing_  
_Haru: and he doesn’t have a phone. so we’re going out to buy him one_  
  
_Makoto ☾: How… How do you have so much money?_  
_Makoto ☾: You literally bought a bunch of replicas today and you want to go buy a PHONE for Goro?_  
  
_Haru: it's complicated_  
_Haru: anyways, i’ll see you all tomorrow_

Haru puts her phone down, places her glasses on the desk, lays back down, and stares at the ceiling for a few minutes. Today… did not feel real. Her head still hurts from everything that’s happened in the forty-eight hours. She hopes that Shiho’s alright, that she’ll eventually be okay enough to spend time with the four of them.

God, she hopes Shiho’s alright.

Haru glances over to Goro, still fast asleep. He’s nice enough, even if part of Haru is wary of him. She wonders just what exactly his deal is.

He had told them that he had been in the Metaverse for “a while.” How long did he mean? Did he know how long he meant?

She hopes she can get some answers soon enough.

With those thoughts in her mind, she finally drifts off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Irises mean many things to many different cultures. But, the most common meanings are usually that of royalty, wisdom, hope, and valor. Not only that, but the iris was named after the Greek goddess Iris. She was seen as a messenger to the gods. These flowers were named to honor her, and therefore bring favor upon the earth. The French used the iris to symbolize royalty and power. The national symbol, the fleur-de-lis, is actually an iris.
> 
> Ching Shih translation notes:  
> Zhōngyú – Finally  
> Mèimei – younger sister
> 
> Lady Death translation notes:  
> Ty menya ne slushayesh – You are not listening to me.
> 
> We finally made it! We’re here, everyone! The gang’s all together! Alright, see you in like, twenty years!
> 
>  
> 
> Just kidding. Anyways, wow. We made it. We actually made it to Makoto’s awakening, and I finally got to introduce one of my first swaps: Takemi as the Hanged Man arcana. It’s great.  
> Speaking of great, how about that new persona? 
> 
> I didn’t give that much info on Nostradamus in the fifth chapter, so here’s a better note on Ching Shih. Love that gal.  
> Ching Shih was a prostitute for a bit of her life, before she met a notorious pirate by the name of Cheng I. Cheng I fell in love with her and married her. She supported her husband’s work, and when he died, she set a plan into motion. With no leader, rivals began to clamber for the title. Ching Shih solidified her leadership role by having personal relationships with her rivals. She also utilized her husband’s more powerful relatives, and made her second-in-command a figurehead that others would follow. But, don’t be fooled. Ching Shih made all of the rules for her band of pirates, which included that if anyone tried to give their own orders that did not come from her, they’d be beheaded. It’s brutal, but it got the job done.  
> Ching Shih actually is one of very few pirates who had a calm ending. She made a deal with the Chinese military that if she stopped her whole pirating thing, she would be able to live a normal life. Ching Shih died of old age, but not before she opened a gambling house. What a QUEEN.
> 
> Fun fact: I was listening to the Wiping All Out remix from the P3 Dancing game while I wrote out Makoto's awakening scene.
> 
> I added the Futaba intermission out of my love for the character. Things aren’t great in Futabaland, and we haven’t even gotten to her arc yet. Uh oh!
> 
> The original draft for the text conversation near the end of this chapter was going to have Yusuke saying that Tae was pretty, but I thought it had weird placement, so I decided to leave it out.
> 
> Also, that entire text convo? Really sorry if that wasn’t your cup of tea. I guess I was just testing things out? I know that it was super long, but I feel like this almost helped to give Makoto and Yusuke some more character.
> 
> And… whoa! Another one! There’s another arcana! Guys, whoa! He’s here! A soft boi is here!
> 
>  
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for waiting, and I'll see you all next time!


	8. Freesia

Haru stands on the surface of a mirror tinted sea green by the sky above. There’s nothing but an ocean beyond the mirror.

She’s alone.

Looking down, she stares at her own reflection and feels sick to her stomach.

She hates looking at herself.

She hates seeing her face, the brown eyes that stare back at her.

She hates her brown hair, now cut short to further herself from her former life.

A sound from far away catches her attention

In the distance, she sees a figure walking across the water.

She tries to take a step forward.

It doesn’t work.

She finds vines of ivy wrapped around her legs, tightening around her ankles and dragging her back.

She opens her mouth to speak, but she chokes as something foreign and _wrong_ forms in her throat.

The pain is unbearable, and not even the red scratches that mar her neck do anything to relieve it.

She’s choking.

_She’s dying-_

Covering her mouth with her hands, she tries to do something to make it stop.

The lump in her throat dissipates as whatever is lodged there is forced out.

Staring down at her hands, she holds a handful of… dainty yellow flowers.

Primroses.

_Who taught me this?_

Looking up, she sees the figure is closer.

Skeletal in features, glowing yellow eyes staring down at her, but dressed in a sundress.

Large hollyhock _(how does she-)_ blossoms grow from the figure’s shoulders and wrap around its neck, all turned up to the figure’s face.

Between the digits of the figure’s hand are white carnations, blowing lazily in an unknown wind.

It presses the carnations against its teeth, and she feels as though she’s missing something.

Opening her mouth to speak, only primroses come out again.

A coughing fit overtakes her, forcing more and more primroses to fall out, and she stumbles off of the mirror and plunges into the water.

The ivy around her ankles begins to pull her downwards.

She reaches to the surface, arms outstretched towards the blank sky.

A hand, small and delicate, breaks through the water and grabs her wrist.

The figure is now right above her.

_Why is it so familiar-_

She looks up, coughing up more primroses that float up to the water’s surface and _wasting the fleeting air in her lungs-_

A soft laugh pierces through the water, and the hand is being overtaken by the white carnations.

It’s a hand of flesh rather than bone, reaching out to touch her palm.

Her brown eyes meet with that same brown.

_“Silly girl, what are you doing down there?”_

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 17_  
_Sunday_  
_Dumas Café_  
_Early Morning_

 

Haru jolts awake.

She sits up, trying to calm her breathing, but it seems as though the walls are closing in on her.

Putting a hand to her throat, Haru can feel the sting from scratches, something she must have done in her sleep.

Looking outside, she finds that the sun is starting to peek over the urban horizon.

She _sh_ _ould_ be tired, but she’s so unnerved from the dream that she's wide awake.

Haru doesn’t know why she feels like this. Then again, that seems to be her normal as of late.

_“There was a doctor here a few days earlier, was there not? You should visit her, rebenok.”_

“Doctor?... Oh, y-yeah… But... what about Yusuke and Makoto?”

Lady Death chuckles, and she finds herself smiling at the sound of it. It sounds so _familiar._

 _“If we go now, she may see you out before you must meet with your comrades,”_ it suggests, and Haru nods to herself. Jack O’ Lantern and Pixie attempt to make their own suggestions, but it silences them with what she can imagine is the wave of its skeletal hand.

“Right… Okay, let’s go…” she mumbles out as she puts on her glasses.

As she moves towards the suitcase with her clothes in it (Goro hadn’t looked, thank goodness), she suddenly finds herself on the ground, having tripped over something.

She gets to her feet and brushes herself off, trying to ignore the ache in her elbows, when she discovers what exactly she tripped over.

It’s Goro.

He’s curled up on the floor with a space heater right next to him, blasting hot air onto him. His hoodie is gone, for some reason. Now that Haru is paying attention, she realizes that it’s far warmer than it was last night.

But, there’s something that makes Haru put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

 

_Haru: goro… has scales  
Haru: real, actual scales_

_Yusuke: Pics or it didn’t happen??_  
_Yusuke: Because as much as I care about you, Haru._  
_Yusuke: I don’t want to believe that this kid has scales._  
_Yusuke: What do they look like?_

 _Haru: actual, reptilian scales_  
_Haru: he found a space heater in the middle of the night and is just lying in front of it_  
_Haru: i tripped over him just now_

_Yusuke: Pics or it didn’t happen!_

_Haru: fine  
Haru: **whatthehell.jpg**_

_Yusuke: OH MY GOD  
Yusuke: THOSE ARE REAL SCALES_

_Haru: told you_  
_Haru: what should i do_  
_Haru: my uncle will have questions if he sees him_

_Yusuke: Like what?_

_Haru: “why does he have scales”_

_Yusuke: Good point._

_Haru: should i just  
Haru: cover him with a blanket_

_Yusuke: Sure?  
Yusuke: I mean at least that’s a temporary fix?_

_Haru: i don’t want to wake him up  
Haru: but he has some on his face_

_Yusuke: Will your uncle check on him?_

_Haru: maybe. that’s why i’m worried_

_Yusuke: Well, I guess you could just…_  
_Yusuke: Hope for the best?_  
_Yusuke: Just tell him that Goro’s probably going to be sleeping for a while?_  
_Yusuke: And tell Goro that he needs to put that hoodie back on?_

_Haru: that might work_

 

Haru looks closely at Goro and sees the grey scales crawling up the back of his neck, a few stray scales scattered on his forehead.

Letting out a breath, she carefully lifts one of the blankets from the abandoned couch and drapes them across the boy. She makes sure to hide his neck, and then carefully arranges his hair to… _not_ show the ones across his forehead.

Geez, he needed a haircut.

Then again, maybe keeping it long would be for the best.

_“Write a note for the boy, rebenok.”_

That’s a good idea.

So, Haru scrawls down a message on a sticky note and sticks it on Goro’s cheek.

That’ll do.

Haru gets dressed and grabs Goro’s plate from last night and finally pads down the stairs. Iwai is already downstairs, silently making coffee and turning on the tv when he sees her.

“Mornin’. Did he eat that, or did you?” he asks, and maybe, Haru thinks, just maybe, he was trying to joke around with her. She just shakes her head and walks around the counter to wash the dish.

“H-He’s going to probably, um, sleep a lot more… He doesn’t r-really seem interested in l-leaving the attic… his p-parents were pretty awful…” she trails off, finding some courage from Lady Death, who carefully leads her along to finally say what she needs.

Iwai shrugs with a nod. “Alright, I’ll leave him be, then. Kids like him are usually skittish around adults. I don’t want him panickin’ if he sees me comin’ upstairs.”

Haru gives him a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks, Boss. Um, I made another f-friend, too… W-We were going to go out and b-buy Goro a phone, so he c-could call us if he needed to…”

Iwai raises a brow. “You sure you can afford that? It’s not just about buyin’ a phone, you know.” Haru shrugs with a sigh.

“I c-can work something out, p-probably just add him to the phone plan… M-My father won’t notice, I’m sure about that…” she explains, watching as Iwai nods.

“Yeah, alright. Just be careful. I don’t need some millionaire comin’ after me.”

Haru agrees, and about fifteen minutes later she finds herself in front of the shadiest clinic she’s ever seen. She doesn’t have much to go on, but in comparison to the country-certified hospitals she’s visited for scratches and bruises, this is incredibly shady.

But, she can’t jump to conclusions. The doctor was rather nice from what she could gather from their brief interaction.

Haru steps into the office and realizes just how homey it feels inside. While the outside is merely concrete, the waiting room is painted a light tan, with some rather vintage-looking furniture to decorate it. To her left is a counter with a viewing window, but the office on the other side looks to be empty. All that's really there is a variety of medications.

She’s tempted to just turn around and leave, but something stops her in her tracks.

Someone’s yelling.

Now, normally this would cause others to turn tail and run, but Haru realizes as she’s standing there, that she _can’t._

“I thought I told you people to never come back here. You’ve heard me once, you’ve heard me too many times. The answer is still no,” one voice says calmly, and Haru can identify that one as Kawakami’s.

“You demon! After everything you’ve done, you still refuse to pay us!” a woman’s voice snaps.

“After everything he suffered through, you choose to stay selfish!” a man’s voice sounds in agreement.

There’s a pause of silence.

Kawakami finally speaks.

“If you two aren’t going to do anything but harass me, then you’d better leave. You can threaten me all you want about how I should be ‘ashamed of myself,’ and how I could be ‘arrested for my medication,’ but I have nothing to be ashamed of. I have a permit to make my medications. I’ve been working hard to make them, and it’s inappropriate for you both to come in here, demanding for me to hand the rights of _my work_ over to you. Now, get the hell out of here,” she grumbles, and Haru hears her starting to move for the door.

“You bitch! You’re making some million-dollar medicine, and you still refuse to pay us!” the man yells.

“There’s no million-dollar medicine! How many times do I need to repeat myself? Get the hell out of here!” Kawakami finally shouts.

Haru scrambles away from the door she had wandered towards, instead standing near one of the chairs in the waiting room. She tries not to look too guilty as a middle-aged couple and Kawakami emerge from the exam room.

“I don’t need you people to keep bothering me,” Kawakami snaps, but stops when she sees Haru out of the corner of her eye. Her harsh expression softens, and Kawakami sends a reassuring smile to her.

“Ah, Haru. You’re early today, aren’t you? I’ll be with you in just a moment,” she says soothingly. The couple exchanges a look and then both glare at Haru.

“Don’t believe this woman! She’s the plague!” the woman cries, and Kawakami visibly withers.

“Please, get out of my office. I don’t want to ask again. If you’re going to harass one of my patients, then I _will_ call the police,” Kawakami threatens, shooing the two out and quickly shutting the door before they could protest anymore.

Kawakami closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Haru stares down at her hands, tracing the small scars on her palms.

“Please head to exam room. We can talk more there,” Kawakami says to break the silence. Haru obediently nods and walks through the now wide-open door. She sits down, looking around to find a few medical posters.

The room is grey, but the light from a few lights gives it a soft blue hue. There’s a bed off to the right, one that she assumes she should sit down on. She glances back for Kawakami’s approval, but finds that the woman is gone.

Wait, where did she-

 _“Hee-ho, maybe she’s hiding!”_   Jack O’ Lantern suggests, and she shrugs.

She can feel Pixie rising up in her, and for a moment, she feels lightheaded. Her hands raise up to her face without her control, and she feels sick to her stomach. _Stop it._

_“I’m restless.”_

Then Lady Death pulls Pixie back, and Haru regains her senses.

 _“You should know not to try that, feya,”_   Lady Death hums. Haru lets out a shaky breath and sits down on the bed, trying to ignore the bickering in her head as Jack O’ Lantern and Pixie argue with one another, trying to reason why or why not Lady Death should even be in charge.

“She was the first. Stop arguing,” Haru finally says, startling herself at her tone.

Haru comes to the realization that this is the first time she’s ever referred to Lady Death by female pronouns. It felt wrong to refer to Lady Death as if she were a person…

Kawakami finally enters the room with a small smile.

“Good morning, Haru. Sorry about those two. Since this is the first time I’m going to be talking with you, I’m going to ask a few questions,” Kawakami says, sitting down in a swivel chair and grabbing her laptop in one fluid motion. She clicks onto something, and types something down.

Haru idly wonders if Kawakami’s going to diagnose her with some sort of disorder. It sounds odd, but Haru’s learned not to trust these sorts of things. She speaks to Haru as if she’s definitely going to come back. She talks to her as if she’ll break. She hates doctors, she hates hospitals, _why is she here-_

“I should start this with one of the easier questions, just to get it out of the way: what would you like to get out of this visit?” Kawakami interrupts her thoughts with a question, tapping her finger on the space bar.

Haru pauses and thinks.

She doesn’t know what she wants. She’s too accustomed to being told what to do. Even with her awakening, she realizes that Yusuke is the one that’s usually spoken up. She’s really only a comfort to him, someone to reassure him.

And then there’s Makoto, who’s probably just her friend out of obligation. Haru helped her, so Makoto’s just waiting for the chance to help Haru, and then she’ll run off.

Now that Haru thinks about it, everything she’s done so far is just because someone told her to. She went with Yusuke on the first day of school because he told her to follow him. The only reason Goro’s in her attic right now is because he told her that he needed somewhere to stay, and the others expected her to follow through. She spoke with Akira last night because she didn’t want to be rude, didn’t want to act like he didn’t exist. Because he’s the reason she’s with Iwai, he’s the reason she’s _safe_.

Even now, sitting in this office, she realizes that the only reason that she’s here is because Kawakami asked her to come and visit. She didn’t want to be _rude-_

“What do you mean by ‘awakening’?” Kawakami asks suddenly, and Haru realizes that she’s just said all of that aloud.

“Um… n-nothing important…” Haru mumbles out, but the look that Kawakami gives her tells her that she can’t say that. “Just… a mental awakening, I-I guess. I realized I d-didn’t want to be p-pushed around…”

Kawakami nods, accepting this answer. “Got it… Hm. Haru, are you adjusting alright to the city?”

Haru shrugs, trying to think of an appropriate response. “I-I guess? It’s… it’s not as quiet a-as the suburbs…” she tries, crossing her arms over her chest. In all honesty, the only thing she liked about this place was that she now had Yusuke and Makoto with her, and they didn’t know who she was.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about that, but I will need you to try and answer these questions more clearly. Is that alright with you?”

A pause.

“Okay.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

“By the looks of it, Haru-san, you do have a case of post-traumatic stress, as well as some sort of dissociative disorder. Not to worry, there’s medication for that. I know I have something in the back for that. If you need anything else, you can come by anytime. It’s not like I have anyone else who’ll visit.” Kawakami stands up and pulls back the curtains to show a few shelves with multiple medications.

She’s suddenly hit with an idea, but she doesn’t know if she has the courage to even ask…

“U-Um… Doctor? D-Do you have any over-the-counter medications I c-could buy?” she hazards, flinching when Kawakami looks over her shoulder in confusion.

“Why… why do you need OTCs?” the woman asks, and Haru can hear the suspicion in her voice.

_“Put your negotiating skills to good use, rebenok.”_

“M-My, um… my friend’s mother… they c-can’t afford good medicine…” she replies, wincing internally at having to lie at Yusuke’s expense.

Kawakami looks at her for a few moments, but her expression slowly softens. “How long has she been sick? Do you know her symptoms?”

Haru shakes her head, staring at the floor and struggling to keep herself from running out right now. There’s no going back now.

Kawakami hums, leaning over her desk to quickly type out a note.

“I don’t exactly have any over-the-counter stuff. I have certification to create my own medication, though you may have already heard about that. Rumors travel fast, as I’m sure you already know,” she says, straightening out and handing a pill bottle to Haru.

Haru looks down at it with uncertainty, jumping in surprise as a printer whirs to life from somewhere that isn’t the exam room.

“That’s to treat the anxiety that comes from your PTSD. I’ll be right back.”

Haru’s alone for maybe thirty seconds, but it’s almost like she’s there for a week, staring down at the orange pill bottle. Bile rises in her throat as suppressed memories come back.

_Pills._

_Yelling._

_Fighting._

_Crying._

**“Silly girl, what are you doing down there?”**

_“You dreamt of someone important to you, rebenok. That is who I represent, yes?”_

Haru gasps as the door opens again. The bottle in her hands clatters to the floor and drowns out the memories for a moment.

“I-I’m sorry, you… you s-startled me, I guess…” she mumbles, hurriedly picking the bottle back up and trying not to look at it too closely.

“It’s fine, Haru-san. I’ll be starting you on these anxiety meds for right now and see how you fare with them. As for your request with the OTCs… I need to make money somehow, but I don’t feel comfortable with giving them out to a kid, especially one who’s dealing with trauma. I can’t risk you developing some sort of addiction to painkillers,” she explains slowly, handing over a piece of paper.

It’s instructions for her medication, something that she appreciates, deep down.

But she needs medicine for the Metaverse.

She can’t let her friends down.

“What a-about the other medication? T-The one you w-were arguing for earlier?” she tries, looking down when Kawakami scowls.

“It’s none of your business.”

“I-I want to help, doctor… don’t you need s-someone to practice it on?” Haru asks, drawing some of her calm from Lady Death, who’s more than happy to provide it.

Kawakami sits down in her chair and crosses her legs as she thinks. She’s mumbling to herself, though she doesn’t seem too thrilled over the thought of this.

Finally, Kawakami looks her over once again and seems to get an idea. With a huff, Kawakami takes out an unlabeled bottle and a tiny measuring cup, pouring some of the bottle’s contents into the cup.

“If you really want to be a test dummy, you’d better be ready. Here, take this,” the doctor tells Haru, handing her the cup.

Her nostrils burn at the mere smell, and she would think that it was pure alcohol if it had that sort of smell. But… it doesn’t.

“Well? Listen, it isn’t going to kill you. Probably. But, you take that, and there isn’t any going back. I’ll allow you to buy my medications, but you’d better be prepared to work for it,” Kawakami says after a moment of silence, turning back to her laptop with some sort of self-assured smile. Surely, she wouldn’t _actually_ drink it, right?

_Wrong._

Haru pinches her nose and downs the liquid in one swift gulp.

Instantly, the world twists and distorts. Everything’s too bright, as if the saturation has been turned all the way up. Kawakami’s purple hair is practically on fire, and all three of her Personas are frantically calling out to her in their own ways.

Pixie’s electric energy swirls around her in concern, demanding answers as to why she’s suddenly on her feet when she can’t even see them. She feels hands trying to push her back, to sit her down, but her breathing picks up with this action.

Jack O’ Lantern is frantically screeching as embers pop beneath her skin and are set ablaze as the medicine settles in her stomach. It _hurts,_ and she needs both of them to _shut up._ Another push, and Haru steps back from the force. But she isn’t going to give up, she needs to _get the fuck out of here._

But then Lady Death’s voice calls through, offering her skeletal hand through the water, and Haru realizes that she needs to listen. Lady Death lays her hand on Haru’s shoulder and pulls her backwards gently.

Haru sits back down. Looking up, the world continues to distort, but she can _see_ Pixie and Jack O’ Lantern. She puts her hand on her shoulder, sad that she can’t feel anyone’s hand, but she can see Lady Death's hand out of the corner of her eye anyways.

_“Sleep, rebenok.”_

And as she blacks out, she finally hears Kawakami’s voice sounding off from the fog.

“Oh my god, you actually drank it?!”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~ 

 

 _April 17_  
_Sunday_  
_Akihabara_  
_Afternoon_

 

“Wait, you actually visited that doctor today?” Yusuke asks as the two of them slip through the doors of the technology store in Akihabara.

Yusuke had insisted that he could pay the fare, but Haru paid for it anyways when he wasn’t looking.

The taste of the medication is still fresh in her mouth, but she chooses not to share this with Yusuke. In fact, she would prefer to censor her entire experience with Kawakami.

_No one needed to know what happened._

 “What doctor?” Makoto suddenly pipes up, unzipping her jacket and tying it around her waist. She glares Yusuke when he gives her a look.

“Wait, when did you get here? Shouldn’t you be with your parents?” he asks, and Makoto shrugs.

“I was cut loose because dad had to handle a model who’s been refusing to work, and mom had to go visit my uncle. His request,” she explains, brightening at the sight of a rack of keychains. She changes the subject with, “Oh, look! I didn’t know they had _Phoenix Ranger_ keychains!”

Yusuke rolls his eyes, peering over her shoulder to look. Haru curiously follows after when he lets out a surprised noise.

“Whoa, that’s your aunt, isn’t it? I didn’t think they sold ones without the masks,” Yusuke says, to which Makoto nods, holding up one of the keychains.

“I didn’t know either! Look at her, she’s so young!” Makoto exclaims, and Haru doesn’t know if it’s in awe or discomfort. Haru stares at the woman on the keychain. From the little knowledge she has of the show, she expects her to be the blue or pink one.

Instead, the woman is in the red suit.

“Doesn’t t-that mean she’s the leader?” Haru asks, blushing in embarrassment when the other two whip around to stare at her in disbelief.

“Have… _have_ _you never watched Phoenix Ranger Featherman R?!”_ they yell simultaneously, garnering the attention of multiple passerby.

Haru breaks into a cold sweat, nervously shuffling her feet as she attempts to find something to change the subject with.

Instead, Makoto shrugs, dropping the subject and letting Haru see the keychain up close.

The woman depicted is at least in her twenties, holding up a sword and positioned as if she was in the middle of a leap. Her eyebrows are knit together in concentration, and she’s yelling something out.

Though, the most striking features to Haru are the woman’s steel grey eyes and hair to match.

“Well, that’s alright. We can force you to watch it later. Anyways, back in the nineties, my aunt Miki was the first woman to play Feather Hawk!” Makoto and Yusuke both strike a pose, Makoto noticeably more enthusiastic as she does so. 

“She played Kizumi Nobushi, a mysterious, stern girl whose gender was assumed male because of her deep voice! The other members of her team didn't know of her true gender until she was critically wounded in a battle against the  _evil_ Grand Lord Xerez, and her mask was removed!"

Haru tilts her head and glances at Yusuke. He shrugs.

“Like she said, it was the nineties.”

“Your aunt... r-reminds me of your sister…” Haru trails off, shuddering at the thought of Niijima glaring at her from that statement.

“Oh, yeah! Sis really does take after my aunt. We both get our eyes from our mom, though,” Makoto replies with a grin, taking a picture of the keychain and sending it to someone. “I’m going to buy this for my bag.”

Yusuke sighs, motioning for them to continue moving. “Alright. By the way, Haru, why in God’s name does the _scalie_ need a phone?” Makoto chokes on her spit and whips around to stare at Yusuke with wide eyes.

Haru, meanwhile, has no idea what that means. Yes, Goro has some scales, but she doesn’t see the problem.

 _“Yusuke!”_ Makoto exclaims, her face bright red as she grabs his arm, “You can’t just _say that!”_

“What do you mean, ‘I can’t just say that?!’ It’s true!” Yusuke retaliates, leaving Haru even more confused than before. Why are they getting so worked up about this?

“What… um, what’s a scalie?” she hazards. Makoto buries her face in her hands, letting out a muffled sound that sounds more like a dying whale than a human being.

“Yusuke, I can’t. I _can’t._ I can’t expose her to the Pandora’s box you’ve just thrown open so haphazardly,” Makoto complains, avoiding Haru’s gaze and hurriedly shuffling away to look at the actual phones.

“Fine, I’ll do it then! Scalies are like furries. But, if you don’t know what that means, then they’re people who get off to animals. Like, anthropo-whatever animals. Scalies are like the reptile version,” Yusuke explains, watching as Haru’s face flushes in embarrassment.

“…Oh. I-I see,” she mumbles out, following after Makoto with just about the same speed.

“Let’s forget that ever happened and just buy him a phone,” Makoto sighs out, pointing out an older model of a popular smartphone. “That looks good. It’s under 15,000 yen, and it’s functional. Also, if any of us choose to spam, it won’t explode from the overload.”

Haru nods, sighing as Makoto waves over an employee.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 17_  
_Sunday_  
_Dumas Café_  
_Evening_

 

“So, I just… ack!” Goro drops his new phone as the camera flash goes off. Haru silently thanks Makoto for suggesting a case. Knowing her luck, Goro would’ve broken the little device within the first five minutes of having it.

“That’s the c-camera, Goro,” Haru says, trying to stop herself from staring at the grey scales on his neck. He doesn’t notice, thankfully.

Instead, he picks the phone back up and starts tapping on random applications.

“This one tells you the weather? That will be useful… It’s far too cold right now, anyways,” he mumbles, and Haru looks away. She’s _staring. She shouldn’t be doing that._

 _“At ease, rebenok. You are not at fault for being surprised,”_ Lady Death hums, _“You also failed to tell your comrades about the physician, rebenok.”_

Ah, Lady Death was right.

“And this… what does the one with the bubble do?” Goro asks, squinting his eyes as he tries to read the label under it. “…message? What sort of message is it talking about, Haru-chan?”

He taps on the app only to find a blank screen. He frowns, looking to her for the answer. She gently takes it from him, exiting the messaging app and entering her phone number into his contact list, using her phone as a reference for Yusuke and Makoto’s numbers as well.

“If you n-need to talk t-to any of us, y-you type out a message on it, and s-send it,” Haru explains, going back to the messaging app and sending a message to herself, essentially. She hands the phone back to Goro as her own phone dings.

“I see… What about these other things? Oh, photos!” he exclaims, eagerly looking into it to find a blur from where he dropped his phone.

“D-Don’t take too many… Y-You have limited storage…” she warns, but then she’s taking out her phone again, adding Goro to their group chat.

 

_Haru: goro’s here now_

 

Goro lets out a surprised sound when his phone dings, whipping around to look at her for answers once again.

“It d-does that,” is all she says, waiting silently for either Yusuke or Makoto to respond.

 

 _Yusuke: THE SCALIE  
Yusuke: HE’S HERE (_ _゜_ _ロ_ _゜_ _)_

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _: STOP CALLING HIM THAT!_

 _Yusuke: He is though… (_ _￣_ _︶_ _￣_ _;)_

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _: He probably doesn’t even know what that is!_

_Yusuke: Have you seen him? He probably does.  
Yusuke: He might be into that._

_Haru: he doesn’t._

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: Told you!_

_Yusuke: How’s he doing, anyways?_

_Haru: you can ask him_

Haru gives a cursory glance over at Goro, who’s tapping each letter individually, slowly working his way through what looks like an essay.

 

_Haru: give him a moment_

_Goro: Greetings, everyone. Haru-chan has given me this phone, but it seems rather confusing. This keyboard is small. And hello, Makoto-chan! Are you feeling better? Awakenings can be draining, and I am aware that it has been two days, but I wanted to check in! I am doing well, Yusuke-kun, but I do not know what a scalie is. What is that?_

_Yusuke: Oh my god._ _（_ _・_ _―_ _・_ _）_

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _: IT’S NOTHING, GORO.  
Makoto _ _☾_ _: DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT._

_Yusuke: But it is something, Makoto.  
Yusuke: It’s very, very important._

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: If you’re not careful, I’m going to call you a feather-y.  
Makoto _ _☾_ _: Wait, what do you call bird furries?  
Makoto _ _☾_ _: Are they still just furries?_

_Yusuke: Good question that I don’t know the answer to!  
Yusuke: One that I never, ever want to know the answer to!_

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: Wait, aren’t you supposed to be working right now?_

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: Yusuke?_

 

 

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _: Oh my gosh, he dead!_

_Haru: rest in peace, yus-gay_

_Goro: I can look up what it is! Though, what are furries?_

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: NOTHING_

_Haru: don’t worry about it_

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 18_  
_Monday_  
_Shūjin Academy_  
_After School_

 

Monday is eerily uneventful. No school assembly, no fanfare, nothing.

Niijima sends her a few less pointed glares, though she does grab Haru’s attention whenever she drifts off. Even then, Makoto apologizes for her.

Ushimaru is far less forgiving, however. The old man doesn’t let up with blatantly making fun of her whenever he loses her attention.

“Iwai, if my class is so boring to you, then get the hell out! You’re learning some important stuff. The government hates delinquents and slackers like you,” he spits out, throwing a piece of chalk at her head.

It hits her square in the forehead.

“Ushimaru-sensei, can we please continue with the lesson?” Makoto asks with a raised hand, giving him an amiable smile.

He merely grumbles to himself, turning back to the board to write something down.

_“You sure they aren’t dating?”_

_“No, of course not.”_

_“Niijima may be a slut, but she isn’t gay.”_

_“Can’t be too sure…”_

_“Did you see the look Iwai gave him?”_

_“Shit, we should shut up!”_

Haru doesn’t realize she’s glaring until then. Makoto turns back and slips her a note, careful not to catch Ushimaru’s attention.

_Palace thing after school?_

Haru nods.

For some reason, she smiles when Makoto gives her a grin.

After school, Haru sends Goro a text to tell him that they’re going to the Metaverse. Five minutes later, he tells her that he’ll meet her there.

“We never did ask why he has scales,” Yusuke laments as they reach the rooftops, pushing the doors open with his back. He’s carrying his still-packaged sword, which would look suspicious if Makoto wasn’t also carrying her packaged crossbow and naginata. Then again, that'd be doubly suspicious... except they're normal-looking packages, wrapped up to look like supplies to some sort of project.

Haru was far less open, choosing to pack away her daggers in her school bag. The rifle she chose to leave at home, asking Goro to bring it with him when they met up. 

Makoto shrugs, but then realizes something. “How is Goro going to get to the Palace? He doesn’t have the app, does he?”

“…Good question. I-I should h-have asked…” Haru checks her bag to make sure that she indeed still has her dagger and the medicine she bought yesterday.

“Wait… when did you get medicine?” Yusuke asks from over her shoulder.

“You have drugs?!” Makoto shrieks, hurrying over to look.

“N-Not actually… B-Bought them from K-Kawakami…” she mumbles out, zipping up her bag and taking out her phone.

“Wait, the doctor? How the hell did you get medicine from her?” Yusuke demands. Haru doesn’t answer, hurriedly tapping on the bookmarked location in the Metaverse Navigator.

“Don’t ignore us, Haru,” Makoto chides as the world distorts.

She ignores her.

Goro is waiting for them in front of the castle with his hands on his hips, much to their surprise.

“How are you here?” Yusuke starts, not bothering to greet the boy.

“Hello to you too. And, it’s none of your business. I choose to remain as enigmatic as possible, Hawk-kun.”

Makoto rolls her eyes from behind her mask.

She then realizes that she has a mask.

“Whoa, I have this now!” she exclaims, obviously excited. “I get a codename now, right? Right? But, what should I be called…”

Yusuke shrugs, looking to Haru for any suggestions.

“D-Don’t ask me… I w-would call her Sailor…” Haru mutters, frowning when Makoto shakes her head.

“Definitely not. I don’t look anything like one,” Makoto retorts with crossed arms.

Haru lets out a huff and takes her rifle from Goro with an appreciative smile.

“Anymore ideas? I know that I can’t run around with my normal name. You said that this place might freak out, right?” Makoto asks Goro, who brightens and nods.

“So you _were_ listening! At least one of you did! Anyways, yes-“ Makoto interrupts Goro with a pat on the shoulder.

“Cool,” is all she says, and Yusuke rolls his eyes.

“Since when did you suddenly become captain? Jester is the leader. You should listen to her,” he says, sticking his thumb towards Haru.

Ah, that would do.

“Why not Captain?” Haru suggests, watching the three as they process that.

Makoto’s the first to react. A grin breaks across her face and she jumps in excitement.

“Yes! See, I knew you had it in you!” she cheers. She goes to clap Haru on the back, but Yusuke catches her wrist.

“Alright then! Captain, you better bring your a-game!”

Makoto grins, thrilled at hearing her new name spoken so openly.

“Right… I’ll do my best! Jester, Hawk, Ace, thank you for letting me be here.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _???_  
_???_  
_???_  
_???_

“So, you referred to the Lovers by the codename ‘Captain’, the Chariot was ‘Hawk,’ and the Magician was ‘Ace.’ And you… were ‘Jester.’” Sojiro sounds a bit more exasperated as she nods, watching as he scribbles down some more notes.

“Got it, got it… Now, what did you end up doing, following the formation of your core team? You could have done better alone, but you chose to work in a team. That may have been your biggest mistake.”

Haru huffs out a sigh, frowning as her mind clouds over for a moment.

A snap in front of her face brings her back, and she straightens her back and looks up at Sojiro.

“We did nothing but investigate the Palace every day after school for about a week. The Magician was relentless in trying to convince us to go, so we listened to shut him up,” she mutters, holding her head as the creatures all screech at her in unhappiness.

_“Stop attempting negotiation. He will not free us. We are individuality. We are-“_

Haru slams her hand on the table, effectively shutting the voices up and startling Sojiro.

“…Alright. If, uh, that’s… done, can you explain at least a little bit of what you saw in this ‘Palace?’” he asks, tapping his pen on the table.

Haru shakes out her hand and nonchalantly nods and shrugs.

“Okay.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 20_  
_Wednesday_  
_Castle of Lust_  
_After School_

 

“I still can’t believe you texted me 4:20 AM just to tell me ‘420 blaze it you thot.’ I... I don’t know if I should be angry or proud, to be honest. You’re starting to look at memes. It’s been _three days_ since the scalie incident. You called me a _thot._ I didn’t think you knew what that meant… I didn’t think you’d do _research,”_ Yusuke says, and Haru can hear the exasperation in his voice.

She lets herself smile as well despite the fact that Makoto’s avoiding their gaze once again.

“Can we _not_ bring that up again? Jester, you got me trouble for staying up late! And Y- Hawk, for god’s sake, let me help you out with bills! You look awful!” Makoto gripes, adjusting the strap of the naginata over her shoulder.

“C-Captain’s right, Hawk… You c-can’t keep working yourself so hard…” Haru adds tiredly, glancing over to Goro as he runs over to a set of doors. She watches as they phase between a pair of red velvet doors and a classroom, and she smiles as well.

Another safe room.

_Finally._

As the group enters the room, Haru sits down at the table and motions for Goro to place down their map.

“How f-far are we from the treasure?” she asks, looking at the map with furrowed brows. Goro shakes his head with a grimace, tapping his fingers on the table idly.

“We appear to be nearby some sort of library. It’s hard to ascertain just how far or close to the treasure we are, but I can safely say we’re most likely halfway through this Palace,” Goro replies, pointing to a room near their current location.

Goodness, the map really was helping.

“A library?” Yusuke asks, tilting his head as he stretched out his right leg, something she and Makoto had started to encourage.

Goro nods, but there’s something he’s hiding, judging by the haunted look on his face. Makoto takes notice of this rather quickly and frowns.

“What’s wrong, Ace? Libraries aren’t _that_ bad, despite what you may think,” Makoto tries, but he shakes his head and readjusts his scarf.

“No, it’s not that… It’s just… that’s where the shrine is, I believe,” he whispers, avoiding everyone’s gaze and instead focusing on the set of doors.

Haru’s mind is buzzing with ideas, but most importantly, her mind is now absent of Pixie. Instead, she finds a smooth and tempting voice curling around her neck and pulling her back with a teasing smile.

She knew that she shouldn’t have made the deal with the incubus yesterday, especially with how _disgusting_ he was.

Of course, then Monday night had brought a Velvet Room dream that showed her that she could fuse personas together to make more powerful ones.

So, of course, since she was _stupid,_ she sacrificed Pixie and the revolting demon in order to find a demoness in their place.

It was a succubus.

_God damn it._

Nonetheless, she supposes that she’ll have to deal with it. Succubus tried once or twice to take control, or whatever it could really be called when she lost feeling in her body and moved without her input.

Thankfully, Lady Death was the best at scaring others into shape.

Haru used her the most, though it may have been best to switch out when the situation called for it.

She didn’t care.

A song comes into her mind, but she pushes it down with the memories associated with it.

They eventually go to the library, and they find the books that they need to solve whatever the hell sort of puzzle Kamoshida had set up for them within his cognition. When a pair of doors swing open to reveal the shrine, she puts a hand over her mouth.

Yusuke stares on in startled horror.

Makoto lets out a broken sob as her eyes land on _them_.

Pictures upon pictures of girls are lined up, candles dimly lighting the tiny, lushly decorated room.

But there, in the center of the shrine, are tens of pictures of Shiho.

They’re almost like screenshots of images from his memories.

They show an excited Shiho at her first volleyball practice, a crying Shiho as the man hits her for the first time, a terrified Shiho as he reaches for her shoulder. Each picture appears different, yet the same all at once.

_Shiho, the girl who was now in a coma from her fall._

A final picture stands among the rest, and it leaves Haru with a sick feeling in her stomach.

_She can’t look at this._

_Hands on her wrists-_

_Stop looking at me-_

_Go away-_

_“At ease, rebenok. I am here,”_ Lady Death soothes, and she senses the manifestation’s hand on her shoulder, a gesture she appreciates now, something she’s slowly getting accustomed to.

Makoto falls to her knees at the feet of the shrine, slamming her hands on the velvet carpet in frustration.

Yusuke is at her side in an instant, wrapping his arms around her to soothe her. She clings onto him as the sobs wrack through her body, growing and growing in volume until she’s screaming in frustration.

Haru watches awkwardly with Goro, but eventually she does find herself joining the hug when Yusuke buries his face in her shoulder, trying to remind her that he’s there for her, _she just needs to calm down-_

 “I’ll kill him! I’ll kill him myself!” Makoto screams with a sob, standing suddenly and pushing the both of them away.

She rips her mask off and summons Ching Shih in one fluid motion. The Persona looks as furious as its master, its usual grin downturned into a snarl. Makoto yells out an order, Bufu, and a storm of snow and ice freezes over the shrine.

Makoto hangs her head as Shiho’s face is distorted through the ice crystals, now unidentifiable through the frozen facets. The room gets colder and colder, and Haru’s teeth are chattering as the ice turns white, letting off a white gas with it.

She grits her teeth in frustration. “If I could burn this down… I would.” She glances back to the two of them, face still unmasked as Ching Shih floats over her shoulder and looms over them all.

Yusuke sighs, gently removing his face and summoning Nostradamus.

“I’ll do it, if you want,” he offers, and Haru realizes just how calm Yusuke is right now.

Though, that seems like the wrong word. She can see by the frown and furrowed brows that he’s unhappy, but that’s a given.

Yusuke looks over his shoulder at Nostradamus, who is calmly flipping through the torn-up tome in its hands.

Haru entertains the thought that he’s putting on a mask for Makoto, trying to be the calm within the storm.

These thoughts are shattered as Yusuke’s face is contorts with undeniable rage as he pulls the two of them back and ignites an inferno.

The sudden heat causes the dry ice to explode.

The room shakes, and Goro falls back in surprise at the force of it all.

“We’ll make that bastard pay for what he did to Shi-chan,” Yusuke growls, taking ahold of Haru and Makoto’s hands, squeezing them for reassurance.

Haru doesn’t know why, but she squeezes his hand back.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 20_  
_Wednesday_  
_Castle of Lust - Chapel_  
_After School_

 

“And do you, Princess Suzui, take King Kamoshida to be your master, to obey without question?” A masked priest asks, red eyes trained on a yellow-eyed Shiho.

She’s dressed in something that hardly can be called a wedding dress. It covers less of her body than a bikini, yet there’s a veil on her head pulled back, and her hair is decorated with white flowers. Her hands are held by the Shadow Kamoshida, and there’s clear fear in her expression.

“I…” The cognitive Shiho hesitates, pursing her lips and looking down at her feet.

“I don’t!” Makoto and Yusuke shout above the whispering of the masked attendees, storming up the aisle with Haru and Goro hurrying to follow after them.

Kamoshida scowls, whipping around to glare at them all. Shiho watches them all with blank eyes, tilting her head in some sort of interest.

Near the front, a figure stands up, whipping around to face them. It’s Shadow Makoto, though she’s dressed far more modestly.

“You! You ruined everything, you bitch! I’ve been replaced because of you!” she roars, transforming into the demoness they fought on Friday. Kamoshida rolls his eyes and nods his head at the priest.

“My dear Queen Mako, do not sully your beautiful appearance with scum such as them. Come, let’s clean you up and… we shall do this another time, yes?” Kamoshida soothes, running a hand along one of her wings. Instantly, the demoness reverts to her normal form and smiles softly.

“Of course, Sugu-kun. Leave the girl as well, please?” the shadow begs, though Kamoshida frowns and shakes his head.

“No, Mako-chan. She is important,” he says, which does anything but soothe her.

Haru can’t exactly focus on their conversation as the priest seizes up and transforms into a suit of armor with large wings, wielding an equally large sword. The creature slams its sword down, though Goro jumps in front of everyone to take the blow.

“He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of _my_ hands,” it spouts, earning a scoff from Yusuke, who readies his pistol and hits Goro over the head with a healing spell.

“Your hands aren’t clean, you nasty priest. Spout more Bible verses like that, and I’ll cut your head off. And Ace, for Christ’s sake, could you _not_ do that? What if I hadn’t been able to heal you?!” Yusuke demands with a huff.

Goro lets out a sheepish laugh and nods.

“Apologies, Hawk-kun.”

Yusuke shrugs and glances towards Haru.

“L-Let’s get him,” she tells him, turning towards the behemoth of an angel.

“Right. Captain, get ready to kick his ass.”

Makoto grins and takes her naginata from her back, readying herself in a fighting stance.

“Got it!”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 21_  
_Thursday_  
_Shūjin Academy_  
_Lunchtime_

 

She’s been alone the entire week, so far.

_Less than two weeks now._

She has less than two weeks to keep herself from being expelled.

Two weeks until Kamoshida tells the entire school that she, Kitagawa, and Iwai had attacked him.

_Kamoshida._

Her blood boils at the mere thought of him.

They had made a _deal._

He had broken their promise.

He had hurt Suzui-san.

What can she do?

There’s nothing she can really do but wait.

But the look in Kitagawa’s eyes had stopped her, the conviction in his voice had truly convinced her that something would be done.

Hifumi stares down at her lunch, her classmates talking nearby her desk about the rumors.

Some send glances towards her over their shoulders, but otherwise keep to themselves.

She hates this school, but she has to make her mother and father proud.

_She has to._

She spots Kitagawa as he walks back into the classroom, waving farewell to Iwai and Niijima-

_Wait, Niijima hangs out with them?_

Wait, she shouldn’t think like that.

She can’t be like everyone else. Hifumi has to be better than them. She can’t be a gossiper-

A tap on her desk snaps her from her thoughts.

Kitagawa stands in front of her desk and hands her a note before walking back to his seat.

Hifumi glances back at the boy, trying to figure out just what he was doing, but finds that it hurts to think about what he could be planning.

Kitagawa was nice.

She thought so, at least.

Hifumi opens the note, careful to not let her curious classmates read it over her shoulder.

In neat handwriting reminiscent of an artist, something she never would have expected, Yusuke has written her a message:

_“Thirteen days until Kamoshida confesses.”_

Hifumi blinks a few times, squinting her eyes to make sure she’s read it right.

She glances back at Kitagawa for an explanation, but he’s not waiting for her reaction.

He’s acting as if it hadn’t even happened.

“Togo-chan, what did Kitagawa write to you?” one of her classmates asks, voicing everyone’s curiosity.

Hifumi clenches the slip of paper in her hands and shoves it into the back of her desk.

“None… none of your business…” she responds, but it sounds weak on her tongue.

Nonetheless, the classmate backs off, leaving her to her own thoughts.

Just what was Kitagawa planning?

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 22_  
_Friday_  
_Shūjin Academy_  
_Lunchtime_

 

Futaba is patrolling the perimeters by herself when she notices them.

Yusuke Kitagawa, Haru Iwai, and Makoto Niijima are all sitting together in the courtyard, right next to the vending machines.

Futaba doesn’t know why, but she hides behind some bushes to listen in on their conversation.

Maybe she could tell her dad about how she eavesdropped on a semi-group of delinquents to make sure that they weren’t up to anything bad.

Then again, the delinquent part was all based on rumors-

“Has Goro gotten back to you on that, though?” comes Kitagawa’s voice, and she can practically hear the raise in his brow, the arms crossed across his chest.

She dares to peek, and finds that yes, her assumptions are correct.

Unlike what Futaba would have expected, none of them are sitting on top of the table – instead, Iwai and Niijima are sitting at the table’s benches while Kitagawa idly stretches his right leg.

She knew the rumors about his injury, and that’s all she knows them as – rumors. But, this is the first time she’s either heard or _seen_ him stretching that leg out. As far as she knew, he had finally gotten the cast off only about three months ago.

Iwai hums, cracking open a can of soda and grimacing when she takes a sip.

“N-No, not yet… W-Why do these all t-taste like pure sugar?” she asks, earning a short laugh from Niijima, who spins the can in Iwai’s hand to show her the label.

“Because that’s basically what it is. I don’t really like it myself, but I’ve never seen someone react like you have… Especially a _teenager,_ ” Niijima teases gently. Futaba watches as Iwai’s face flushes in embarrassment, but otherwise her expression doesn’t change.

“A-Anyways, Goro said t-that he’s alright w-with today as well… Y-Yusuke, are you w-working?” Iwai asks, taking another drink from the can and looking as though she regretted it _immensely_.

Kitagawa checks his phone and nods but puts up his hand to stop them before they start to look too disappointed. “But they’re later shifts. I’ll be good for after school. But when we’re done, I’ll have to _run._ I seriously don’t want my boss at the beef bowl shop to get pissed.”

The girls smile and nod.

_What the hell are they planning?_

Kitagawa and Iwai were being expelled in twelve days, yet they were acting as though nothing was wrong.

_Or were they?_

Futaba’s stomach drops at the thought that they’re planning something.

_Are they planning on hurting Kamoshida?_

_Some sort of ploy to prevent their expulsion?_

“A-Alright, good. We’ll meet after school, then. Goro will meet us there. Hopefully w-we’ll… hopefully w-we’ll finish that final level… Good after… good afternoon, S-Sakura-san.”

Futaba freezes as two heads turn to stare at her and back at Iwai, who has a pleasant smile on her face.

_Ah, busted._

“How… uh, how long have you been there?” Kitagawa asks with a raised brow. Futaba coughs into her hand awkwardly, avoiding their eyes as she walks up to the vending machine. She really didn’t like any of these drinks – none of them had a nice taste.

It was either insanely sugary drinks, such as the one in Iwai’s hands, or disgusting mineral water. Futaba cringed at the thought of either.

“Not very long, Kitagawa-san. I trust that you all are staying out of trouble?” Futaba questions, turning her back to them in an attempt to look like she was actually going to buy a drink.

Kitagawa scoffs and moves out of her way. She hadn’t even wanted to go to the vending machine he had been leaning against, but now that he wasn’t _blocking it-_

“You already know the rumors, don’t you, prez? It’s kind of hard to miss them,” Kitagawa spits bitterly, and despite herself, Futaba glares at him.

“I’m _aware,_ Kitagawa. I’m just giving you advice. Kamoshida plans on expelling you during the next faculty meeting, and that’s… less than two weeks away. You have this weekend, next week, and that weekend as well to figure out what your plan is. I doubt you’ll convince Kamoshida otherwise, but… don’t do anything stupid, got it?” Futaba warns, the vending machines long forgotten now.

As she storms off, she can hear them as their conversation slowly starts back up.

“I can’t believe you knew she was there, Haru!” Kitagawa says in awe.

There’s a pause, and Futaba senses a pair of eyes burning holes in her neck.

“I guess it was j-just… instinct.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 22_  
_Friday_  
_Castle of Lust_  
_After School_

 

“Jester, did you give me the money we got yesterday? I appreciate the gesture, but I want to actually _work_ for the money- what?” Yusuke stops at the faces that both girls give him.

“Yusuke. Yusuke Kitagawa. Are you trying to tell me that _risking your life_ to help us isn’t _working for the money?_ Do you really want to say that with such a serious face?” Makoto demands.

Haru sighs, and pats Yusuke’s shoulder, sliding a few yen into his bag when he isn’t looking.

“Y-You deserve it, Yusuke. Don’t argue. You k-keep us alive, a-anyways,” Haru reasons. Somewhere off to the side, Goro scoffs and grumbles a “I would hope so!”

Haru walks past everyone and jumps up onto the back of one of the many statues, having spotted a landing that she could easily access through this. While Goro follows soon after, Makoto has to help Yusuke up.

Haru makes a mental note to finally let everyone rest after today. After all, Goro _did_ say that they were almost to the treasure.

And as Haru jumps down from the landing and looks over what looks like a throne room, she hears Goro let out a gasp.

“I sense it! The treasure! It’s close by!” he whispers excitedly. Haru grabs onto the collar of his shirt before he can run off, choosing to wait for Yusuke and Makoto instead.

“Team e-effort, Goro,” she reminds him quietly, though otherwise they silently walk along the balcony. Glancing downwards, she sees rows upon rows of guards who all stand before Kamoshida. The cognitive versions of both Makoto and Shiho are draped over him, Makoto more enthusiastic as she lays on the man’s lap. The cognitive Shiho simply has her arms wrapped around his neck, idly running her fingers across his cheek every once in a while.

Makoto puts a hand over her mouth, and Haru moves in closer to anchor her. “Don’t look…” Haru advises, though it sounds lame on her mouth when she says it. She regrets saying it when Makoto gives her a look.

“Lay off. That’s not a version of you in his lap,” she grits out, pushing Haru away and storming farther down the balcony. There are stairs that connect the balcony to the throne, but there’s a door behind the throne. Haru glances at Goro, who nods with a grin.

“The treasure…” he mutters.

They somehow manage to stay out of sight of the guards, and for a moment, Haru swears that the cognitive Shiho spots them and stares at them for a few moments, but otherwise doesn’t let out any significant sound to alert Kamoshida.

Haru silently thanks the cognitive Shiho, even if her eyes may have been playing tricks on her.

They open the large pair of doors as quietly as possible, and Haru takes in the simplicity of the place. She takes a trinket from a vase she spots in the corner, but otherwise there’s nothing here other than yet another door.

She has to squint her eyes as a light pours out from the room, a rift in the cognition that ripples and pulses with some unknown energy. Goro’s eyes light up.

“Ah, so I _was_ right!” he cheers, earning bewildered looks from both Makoto and Yusuke.

“Where’s the treasure, you lizard?” Yusuke demands, clenching his fists in annoyance as Goro hums in thought.

“Ah, that’s right. Now that we have a clear infiltration route, we’ll send something I call a calling card. It tells the Palace’s ruler that you’re going to expose them for their crimes. With this, the treasure will manifest, and we’ll be able to finally steal it! Though, we’ll only have so much time to do so. So, let’s try to plan accordingly,” Goro explains with a smile.

With their infiltration route finally secured, the group left the Palace with some clear excitement in the air.

Haru opens her eyes as the world returns to normal and takes in her surroundings. Goro had run off before they returned, and as such, he was not with them.

Yusuke checks the time and sighs in relief.

“Oh, thank goodness. I still have about half an hour to get to the shop. I’ll see you two tomorrow, yeah? Haru, you can tell us when to send out this calling card thing, and I can make sure to take a day or two off,” Yusuke assures with a smile that Haru can’t help but return.

“Yeah! And if you can, try to get Goro to come out and hang out with us one day before we get the treasure!” Makoto suggests with a smile.

“I c-can try… he needs m-more clothes…” Haru trails off with a sheepish smile in response.

Makoto gives a short laugh and a mock-sage nod. “Ah, yes. I would totally know about that… if my dad wasn’t a fashion designer. Hey, wait a second!” Makoto is practically jumping now, the excitement clearly etched into her face. “You can bring him over to my house one day after school, and my dad can get him fitted! We can hide the scales with… makeup!”

Haru grimaces but tries covering it up by nodding. “Right… ah, b-but wouldn’t he notice a-anyways?”

Makoto shrugs. “Eh, if he does, he usually doesn’t ask. He’s pretty used to weird stuff.”

Haru’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. “E-Even a kid with r-reptile scales?”

“Meh… he’s probably seen weirder,” Makoto replies as she checks the time. “I have to go… Do you want to walk with me to the station?”

Haru smiles and nods.

And as Haru walks with Makoto to the train station, she realizes something.

She’s smiled more in the last few days than she has in the last few months.

She’s nearly laughed more in these few days than she has in what seems like years.

She’s had more friends now than she’s had… _ever._

It feels right to have friends.

It feels right to be happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Freesias were used in the Victorian times to symbolize trust. They also are used as a sort of thank you to someone who has performed gracefully under difficult conditions. They’re often given to young girls after a dance or any other artistic performance, due to their sensitive nature. They’re also popular in bridal bouquets and floral displays. In a wedding setting, the white freesia symbolizes innocence and purity.
> 
> Haru look out Yusuke’s going to say some Internet shit. Oh god she has airpods in she can’t hear us. Oh god. Oh fuck.
> 
> Hey there, everyone. Welcome back. We’re chugging along. If this chapter felt rushed, then I’m sorry, but listen, I don’t want to stay in the Kamoshida arc for longer than I have to.  
> So, this chapter was pretty fun to write. The whole scalie bit had me dying, and Makoto’s reaction was based on something I would most definitely do.  
> I feel bad, but this is mostly filler, even if they’ve already found the treasure. I hope you guys don't mind.
> 
> Also, I really love doing these bits where we’re not with Haru, but another character. I don’t know why, I think it’s just fun to do.
> 
> Also, yoooo! This fic!!! It has a discord server now! Wow!  
> If you would like to join, here’s the link! https://discord.gg/m2vnwTU  
> I’m going to be far more active on here than the tumblr blog, and I’ll be posting more concepts on there as well.  
> Anyways, thank you all so much for reading, and I’ll see you all next time!


	9. Alstroemeria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger warning for mentions of attempted sexual assault. Please stay safe, everyone!**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Also, in the words of Haru, "4/20 blaze it you thots"  
> And Happy Easter to those who celebrate it!  
> And... Happy Passover to those others who are celebrating that? Sorry, I don't exactly know what to say?  
> Anyways, here's the update! I hope you all enjoy!

_April 23_  
_Saturday_  
_Evening_  
_Dumas Café_

 

Akira Kurusu, Haru finds, is _incredibly_ nice _._

She also finds that, well, he doesn’t have many people to talk to.

 _‘Sensei never bothered to learn JSL, so I have never been able to talk to many people,’_ Akira signs, and Haru notices just how nervous he is with it all. He’s constantly changing in his speeds, sometimes going too quick for even Haru, or slower, to make sure that Iwai can understand him.

Despite that, she enjoys talking to him. He’s an open book, often times unable to keep his expression neutral when he’s excited or unhappy.

When Akira shows her his latest sketches, about ten new ones from simply a week, she can’t help but stare in awe.

 _‘Your teacher is a famous artist, yes? You should ask for his help in putting these in a museum,’_ Haru signs, glancing over at Iwai, who’s trying to decode what she’s said.

Akira smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. His eyes shoot down to his lap, anxiously tapping his fingers on his knees as he thinks. _‘I do not believe that Sensei would like that. He believes that I still have much to learn... and I believe the same thing.’_

It takes a few moments, but she hears Iwai scoff.

“The hell’re you talkin’ about? You’re good, kid. I don’t know much about art, but what you’ve got in that book of yours has gotta be good enough, right?” This is the wrong thing to say, as Akira frowns and looks back down at his hands.

 _‘Good enough?’_ Akira’s hesitant as he signs it, like he doesn’t want to admit it. Iwai’s eyes widen at the boy’s change in attitude.

He opens his mouth to say something, to correct himself, but then his phone is ringing to interrupt him.

A quiet ‘excuse me’ is all Iwai says before he takes out his phone to see who’s calling him. His eyes widen at the name, quickly answering it and putting it to his ear.

“Is somethin’ wrong? You didn’t call the landline first. Do you need me to come home?” Iwai asks, already moving to grab his coat. Whatever the other person answers with, he visibly pales at it. “You fell?! Don’t worry, I’m already headin’ over. Don’t try movin’, I don’t want you hurtin’ yourself more. Don’t worry, the kid I’ve told you about a few times is over. He can watch the shop.”

Iwai sends Akira an expectant look, but then realizes that this maybe isn’t the best idea. Akira isn’t meeting his eyes, but Haru watches him with mild interest. He defeatedly sighs and waves her off.

“You’re in charge for right now. Burn anythin’ down and you’re outta here,” Iwai warns her before dashing out, just barely getting his jacket on. She can hear him as he says, “You don’t need to apologize, accidents happen.”

There’s a pause as the two of them bask in the silence of the café, a bit taken aback by Iwai’s panicked nature.

 _‘I do not think I have seen him like that… ever.’_ Akira signs after a few moments, drawing out a soft laugh from her.

“He was r-right, though… You’re really good, Akira,” she says with a soft smile. Akira looks back down at his sketchbook, grabbing his pencil and drumming it on the paper as he thinks.

He looks troubled, and his mouth opens and closes as he tries to think of the words he wants to express.

 _‘I think I am starting to go through a slump… I do not like landscapes anymore…’_ It’s something that surprises Haru, just from the sheer amount of landscapes Akira had already done. He, of course, had some variety, but otherwise, he had seemed to stay faithful to landscapes.

Haru is interrupted by the sound of footsteps from the attic slowly moving downwards, down the steps, and Haru knows what that means.

Except Akira’s still here, and she has no idea if Goro has his hoodie on, and-

She hears a gasp and she whips around just in time to see Goro quickly pulling his hood up.

Haru can feel herself panic for just a moment, but when she looks back to check on Akira, it turns out that he was staring down at his sketchbook the entire time.

He looks between them after sensing two pairs of eyes on him, and he gives a small wave to Goro.

“Hi-uhm, Haru-chan, who’s this? I-I mean, I’m fine with him, just… who?” he stutters out, and Haru rolls her eyes at the sight of a faint blush on his cheeks.

Goro glares at her, bristling at the faint smirk that sneaks on to her face.

“This i-is Akira Kurusu. Come down and s-say hi,” she tells him, but watches instead as Goro races back upstairs. She sends Akira an apologetic smile. “H-He’s, ah, rather jumpy…”

 _‘Like me, right?’_ Akira signs with an understanding grin. He has a strange sadness in his eyes as he glances back to the staircase, tilting his head and making a small hum in thought.

It is something that Haru had noticed in the past few hours. Akira isn’t completely mute – he’s able to hum and laugh, but she supposes he just… doesn’t like to speak.

She won’t ask – it isn’t polite, after all.

_‘You two reminded me of my brother and me…’_

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 23_  
_Saturday_  
_Evening_  
_Sakura Residence_

It’s a normal night for Futaba. Saturday nights were usually spent by herself, since her dad usually tends to stay out later to work on his cases, maybe even go out with a colleague for drinks. These nights are also the only ones where she _isn’t_ at the school to work with teachers. Tomorrow would prove to be a long day, if what she knew about the current issues was correct.

She grimaces at the thought of all the confiscated switchblades in the Student Council room, courtesy of a student she’d rather not think about right now.

And anyways, Saturday nights are perfect for her alone time, where she indulges herself with comic books and watches the shows she would never admit to watching. Her fellow council members would call her childish if they found out.

Not that they didn’t already.

So, when she hears the door open and the jangle of keys, she can’t help the grin that crosses her face.

Futaba wiggles out from underneath her pile of blankets and quickly slams her laptop shut and carefully places her latest comic on her desk. She races out from her room and nearly trips over her own feet as she stops

“Uh…” Futaba trails off as she stares at the blonde-haired girl standing in the doorway. The girl waves with a bright smile, and Futaba returns the gesture, albeit far more mechanically.

“Why are you here?” she asks, slowly reaching into her pocket for her cellphone.

Why does this girl have the house key?

More importantly, _why is she acting so casual?_

“Oh, no need for that! Sakura-san gave me the key. He’ll be here in just a moment… Nice to meet you, by the way!” the blonde chirps, putting out her hand. Futaba backs away once more, narrowing her eyes.

“Prove it,” Futaba says instead, wrapping her fingers around the cellphone in her pocket. She couldn’t be too careful. Being a prosecutor meant that her dad would end up making enemies.

“You’re Futaba Sakura, your father is Prosecutor Sojiro Sakura. He’s working with me on the mental shutdown cases. Your hair is dyed, you’re the Student Council President at Shūjin Academy, and you’re a first year. It’s an impressive feat,” the girl supplies, and Futaba shakes her head.

“You could be a stalker. You need to know the codeword, or else I’ll make you leave,” Futaba threatens, though her heart is pounding in her chest as the words leave her mouth. She’s scared, and she wasn’t ready for this interaction, and it’s making her nervous, and she needs to _go back to her room soon-_

The girl’s expression changes from cheerful to thoughtful in a matter of seconds. “Ah, you’re right. Sorry for all of the unnecessary fluff. The codeword is Ophelia, right?”

Futaba lets out a shaky breath of relief, letting go of her phone and moving towards the door.

“You’re crazy. Absolutely insane. Dad probably told you not to do that. Stupid…” she grumbles, shaking out her hands and avoiding the blonde’s eyes when she walks past her.

“You’re right, Sakura-san did! I just didn’t think it would be too serious! Did I really scare you that bad?” the blonde asks with a loud laugh, a grating sound to Futaba’s ears.

Futaba glances out the door and spots her father walking down the hallway towards their apartment.

She gestures to the blonde as he enters, trying to decipher why the _hell_ a stranger is in their apartment. He simply shrugs. She finds herself having to help him carry in groceries instead.

“That’s Takamaki. She’s supposed to be some sort of ace teen detective. They’re calling her the ‘Second Coming of The Detective Prince,” he finally says once they’re in the kitchen, rolling his eyes in emphasis.

She frowns and tilts her head.

“Really? She doesn’t seem very ‘Chie Satonaka’ to me… she’s more like her wife, to be honest. What was her name… Oh, Yuki-something or other! Are you sure she isn’t supposed to be an idol, like her?” Futaba asks without missing a beat, sending the Takamaki girl an accusing look that said girl gives a confused smile back in reply.

“Don’t get me started. She’s hardly qualified for the case. The Director probably thinks I’m some sort of babysitter,” he grumbles, handing her a carton of eggs to put away.

“So, what’s she doing here? Groceries imply that you both went to the store before coming home. Is she… eating with us?”

There’s a pause as her dad lets out an exasperated groan.

“She won a bet.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 24_  
_Sunday_  
_Morning_  
_Dumas Café_

“He really doesn’t like leavin’ the attic, does he?” Iwai asks her Sunday morning, filling her cup with coffee. She shakes her head with a sympathetic smile.

“H-He leaves it at night, w-when you aren’t here… He goes to the bathhouse r-right before it closes…” she tells him, letting out a short sigh.

Goro’s obsession with staying in the attic is… well, it’s frustrating for her.

Iwai doesn’t seem to mind, actually. He tells her that he’s quiet.

“Sometimes he’s too quiet, though. I’ve been worried that he’s dead or somethin’,” he explains, starting another pot of coffee in preparation for the morning crowd.

“W-Well, my other friends are coming over… W-We’ll try getting him out,” she promises. Her phone goes off rather suddenly and forces her to look at it when it goes off a few more times.

 

_Goro: I apologize, but I am not exactly interested with leaving this room today. It is rather comfortable, and I have this phone to keep me entertained. Going out during the night is already rather adventurous for me._

_Yusuke: (ーー;) Goro, buddy, pal._  
_Yusuke: You have to go out._  
_Yusuke: The weather is nice._  
_Yusuke: I promise it won’t bite you._

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _: I have to agree with Yusuke here  
_ _Makoto_ _☾_ _: It isn’t healthy for you to stay holed up in that room all day!_

_Goro: You are mistaken, Mako-chan. I will not be staying “holed up in that room all day.” In fact, I have some plans for some reconnaissance work in the Palace. I will be unlocking a few of the chests we missed!_

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: Goro, I’m going to say this in the nicest way possible  
_ _Makoto_ _☾_ _: But you need to get your butt out of that attic before Yusuke and I go up there and drag you out ourselves!_

 _Yusuke: (_ _◎_ ___ _◎_ _;)  
Yusuke: Goro, bud, you better listen to her_

_Haru: i would like to second that  
Haru: boss is worried about you, goro_

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: Boss?_

_Haru: my uncle’s nickname  
Haru: it’s a habit_

_Goro: Will I truly be dragged from here if I choose that I wish to stay?_

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: Yes._

_Haru: yes_

_Yusuke: Oh, definitely._

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: I’ll grab my baseball bat._

 

Goro does go outside that day, but it takes about an hour to convince him that no, Makoto does not have a baseball bat to hit him out of the shop.

They get to the train station when Goro decides that no, he really isn’t leaving.

So, they stay in Yongen-Jaya for the day, much to the chagrin of Makoto, who has to call her dad to tell him no, they apparently won’t be coming over for a fitting.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 25_  
_Monday_  
_After School_  
_Hospital_

 

It was a deal they had made the night before. As a group, they would visit _her_.

Haru hadn’t visited because, well, she had no idea if she should.

She had only known _her_ for about two days. Then again, _she_ had offered out a hand, an invitation to a sushi bar. It had been so simple back then.

God, she wished she had come, but she had no idea if it was even allowed. She hardly knew _her._

Haru blames herself, even if she doesn’t say it.

Because she hardly knew _her_.

It makes her feel guiltier.

Yusuke hadn’t visited because of his chaotic work schedule.

Between the Palace, taking care of his mother, and his part-time jobs, he never had the opportunity to visit. Plus, he said that his mental health was barely alright as it was.

Spending time with the two of them was helping, but he didn’t know what he would do if he went to see _her_ alone. _She_ had been one of his best friends.

Not even two days to reconnect before _she_ tried committing suicide.

Yusuke blames himself, even if he doesn’t say it.

Because he wasn’t there to protect _her._

It makes him feel guiltier.

Not even Makoto had been here yet to visit. Makoto was too ashamed, too grief-stricken to even think about facing _her_.

Her _best friend_ , stuck in a coma because she was too much of a coward to stand up against that disgusting monster.

Two days that she didn’t notice any changes in demeanor, just a loss of appetite.

And the giving away of personal items, like a keychain she bought _her_ for _her_ birthday.

_“Can you keep it safe for me?”_

And the depressing thoughts that _she_ said aloud, the hints towards something more.

_“I know it’s silly, but I don’t know if I’m looking forward to summer vacation.”_

And the reckless behavior as they had walked home from school.

_“Oh, sorry, Mako-chan. I guess I was feeling a bit daring!”_

Makoto blames herself, even if she doesn’t say it.

Because _Shiho Suzui_ was her best friend.

It makes her feel guiltier.

The hospital is irregularly clean, yet it still stinks of death.

At least, that’s how Haru smells it.

Makoto and Yusuke both hold grim expressions on their faces, silent as they make their way through the hospital.

They finally arrive outside Shiho’s hospital room, and Haru can feel the tension in the air as they all stare silently at the door. Which one will open it? Who’s going to get hit by the guilt first?

Haru steels herself and pushes past the two, desperate to get the sight of so many nurses and doctors out of her head.

She opens the door with more force than necessary, nearly slamming it into the wall. She sucks in a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

Lady Death is luckily at her side, placing her skeletal hand on Haru’s shoulder without hesitation.

_“At ease, rebenok.”_

Easy for her to say.

Shiho is in a coma.

Her legs are broken.

She may not ever be able to walk normally again.

There’s a nurse working at Shiho’s side, checking her vitals and writing things down on a clipboard. She jumps at the sound of the door opening so suddenly but relaxes at the sight of three students in the doorway.

“Sorry about that, Miss. We’re her friends. They said it’s alright if we visit?” Makoto says quickly with a smile.

The nurse glances over them for a few moments, but eventually nods.

She leaves to give the three their privacy with Shiho, and Makoto sits down at the chair closest to the bed. Makoto puts a hand on the bed with a distant look in her eyes.

“You know, I don’t think this would’ve happened if I had accepted his offer. I would’ve deserved it more,” she whispers after a few moments of silence.

Haru pales at the statement, and she has to put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from throwing up.

Yusuke sends her a concerned look, and he moves to comfort her, but she puts a hand to stop him.

“Don’t you _dare_ say that,” Haru hisses out. The corners of her eyes burn with tears and her mouth has a bitter taste. “No one deserves something like this.”

Makoto stares at her silently for a few moments. She lets out a sigh and rests her head on her hand.

“I know, I know… but, I don’t know… I feel like I could’ve done something to stop this,” she explains with a grimace.

Yusuke sits down next to her and puts a hand on her back, rubbing it soothingly.

“Ah, shut it, Mako. Don’t blame yourself. Trust me, we all are feeling guilty. Just… don’t let that guilt take over. I spent a long time feeling sorry for myself and the people I couldn’t protect, but it didn’t change anything,” he says with a huff, removing his hand from her back.

Makoto scowls and puts her head in her hands.

“I just hate myself for being so weak…” she trails off, dragging her hands over her face. Haru’s mouth is set in a firm line as she sits down next to Makoto.

Taking a deep breath, she supposes that now is a better time than ever to talk about this.

“I’m h-here on charges for assault, M-Makoto,” she starts, receiving a confused glance from the other girl. Yusuke, meanwhile, realizes what’s going on and stops her.

“Are you sure you want to talk about this? You really don’t have to,” he assures, though Haru shakes her head and instead directs her attention back to Makoto.

“I d-didn’t actually do anything, though. I… I was nearly raped, Makoto. I-It has taken me months t-to even… to even _accept_ that it happened. T-The only reason I was able t-to do so is because of Lady Death,” Haru explains. She’s shaking, but Yusuke is already at her side. He doesn’t hold her hand or put a hand on her shoulder, instead he just puts his arm against her, keeping her grounded.

She takes Yusuke’s hand after a few moments, clutching it like a lifeline. “B-But, what I needed to hear t-the most after it happened, but _didn’t,_ was t-that it w-wasn’t my fault. T-That it was out of my control.” Haru finally says and holds out a hand to Makoto.

“So, s-stop blaming yourself. This was o-out of your control, b-but we’ll take him down. W-We’ll make sure he pays.”

Makoto stares for what seems like a lifetime. Her eyes bore into Haru’s, trying to find _something_ there, but she finally seems soothed after a few moments. So, she takes ahold of Haru’s hand and tries to smile. Except, it's more like a grimace.

Haru doesn't blame her.

“Right… We’ll take him down. For Shiho.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 26_  
_Tuesday_  
_After School_  
_Kitagawa Residence_

 

“Thanks again for coming with me, Haru. My mom will be happy to meet you,” Yusuke tells her as they climb up the stairs to the third floor of the apartment complex.

Makoto is too busy helping her dad out with a modeling gig to go with them (“Don’t worry, I’m used to this! Dad just has me come in if he has a really difficult model.”), but Yusuke said that he needed to stop by his apartment to make sure that his mother was alright.

“N-No problem… Um, should I d-do anything?” she asks, and Yusuke shrugs.

“Nah, I don’t think so- actually, when we get in there, can you help me out by grabbing one of the microwaveable meals? They’re in the freezer,” he replies as they get to his apartment. He glances over to her for a moment before taking a deep breath and unlocking the door.

The first thing that crosses Haru’s mind is just how small the apartment is. There’s a kitchenette to her left, and a counter that juts out from the wall to form an L shape. She can hear the sound of a television, and looking over the counter, she can see that there’s an empty bed in the living room with a couch to the left of it.

There’s a table with a few chairs around it off to the right, and near the back of the living room is a small hallway with two doorways.

Haru looks around the kitchenette and finds the fridge against the wall. She glances back to Yusuke, who’s moving towards the hallway, to the doorway to the right.

“Like I said, it should be in the freezer,” Yusuke calls back to her as there’s the sound of a toilet flushing and a faucet running.

“Ah, good. It’s just you, Yusuke,” a woman’s voice comes from what Haru now knows is the bathroom. The door opens to reveal the owner of the voice, a woman who is far shorter than Yusuke, but nearly as thin as him. She’s pale, but in her grey eyes she has a spark of mischief.

Her hair is long and black, tied to stay out of her face in a low ponytail. She’s wearing a pair of pale blue night pants and a nightshirt to match, and Haru realizes that she’s practically a female version of Yusuke. Minus the piercings, the short hair, and… well, Haru thought the similarities were there, but maybe it was just in their faces.

“Yeah, just me. How are you feeling today, Mama?” Yusuke asks softly, to which the woman chuckles and seems to notice that there’s someone else in her home.

Haru avoids the woman’s curious gaze and takes out one of the microwave meals, some sort of pasta meal that she has never seen before. She’s unfamiliar with it, and it makes her nervous as she diligently reads the instructions on the back.

“Just fine. Soon I’ll be back in shape and back to normal,” she remarks,

She successfully gets the food into the microwave, and after a bit of trial and error, she’s able to correctly put in the amount of time she wants it to cook for.

“Though, I am curious about this young girl in my kitchen – did you make a new friend, and _not tell me?”_ his mother asks, almost sounding offended. Though, when Haru checks, she can see the hint of a smirk on her face. Yusuke laughs and motions towards the bed.

“Lay down, Mama. That’s Haru. We met about two weeks ago, and she came by with me so I could check on you,” he explains, tilting his head when she chuckles and lays down.

“I’m not helpless, Yusuke. I can take care of myself, you know. Just because your old mom gets sick every once in while doesn’t mean that she’s helpless. And, maybe, she’ll stop talking about herself in the third-person if you stop treating her like she’s five,” she retorts with a grin as Yusuke sputters to correct her, insisting that she isn’t old, and he _doesn’t_ treat her like she’s five.

Haru takes the initiative to leave the kitchen to allow the meal to cook. She walks to the woman’s bedside and holds out her hand with a friendly smile.

“I-I’m, um, Haru Iwai… it’s nice to meet you…”

Yusuke’s mother returns the smile and shakes her hand.

“Kaori Kitagawa. Please, just call me Kaori-san. I hope my son hasn’t caused you any problems.” Yusuke lets out a dismayed noise, but Kaori waves him off to get the food when it’s done. He hops on to the counter when he gets into the kitchen. It's a fluid motion, one that he's obviously done more than once.

“H-He’s very nice, Kita- ah, um, I mean… Kaori-san… He and Makoto a-are my only friends…” she admits with a shrug, something that causes the other to raise a brow.

“Oh? Huh, you seem nice. I’m surprised you don’t have many friends. Then again, Shūjin is pretty bad when it comes to rumors. I would transfer Yusuke to another school, but the education he’s getting right now is very important, and Shūjin offers a lot of good stuff,” Kaori tells her, not startling when the microwave finally goes off.

"Please take care of him, will you? He's too protective for his own good sometimes," Kaori laments with a roll of her eyes.

“I can make you some tea too, Mama. Or do you just want some water?” Yusuke calls, almost as if on cue, receiving a shrug in response.

“Surprise me, Yuyu,” she replies nonchalantly.

“Water it is!”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 27_  
_Wednesday_  
_After School_  
_Airsoft Shop_

 

Tae, as she insists Haru to call her (“Don’t be so formal. Tae is fine.”), is rendered speechless by the trinkets she has picked up from the Palace. Tae’s eyes flit between Haru and the things she’s dumped on the counter.

“I… When I asked if you had anything to sell me, I didn’t expect you to give me _this,”_ she comments, checking a few of the items and raising a brow. A hand goes to the back of her neck, right over the butterfly tattoo as she scratches it in thought.

Haru decides that maybe she will have to talk to Tae about this – she won’t precisely explain anything, there really isn’t anything to explain.

“Yusuke s-said you w-wouldn’t ask much…” she replies lamely. She’s desperately trying not to seem too worried, but, well, this is _herself._

Lady Death senses her anxiety and gifts her a bit of calm to continue with this transaction.

Tae huffs out a sigh and lights a cigarette. “You damn brats are weird as hell. Makes sense that you’re one of Yusuke’s friends. Alright, fine, I’ll find some sort of use for this…”

As Haru puts away the yen she’s given, she takes the time to glance over the new guns that have come in.

“I… I met Kaori yesterday…” she trails off lamely, unable to quite find the right words she wants to say. What can she say?

“Ah, nice. She’s a great woman. I pay her to help around the shop when she’s feeling well enough. I think she knows that Yusuke works more than three part-time jobs to help keep them afloat. But… don’t tell Yusuke, got it?” Tae tells her, and she nods without hesitation.

She hates the thought of keeping this secret from Yusuke, but she reasons that it will help both him and his mother in the long run.

“Kaori helped me way back, when I was in my late teens, early twenties. I owe her a lot, so don’t you dare hurt her.”

The warning is clear in her voice, so Haru just gives an affirmative nod and bids farewell to the woman.

As Haru leaves the shop, she sees Yuuki out of the corner of her eye, watching her with dull interest that turns sharp and then back to dull within the duration of about ten seconds.

She’s reminded of her upcoming expulsion, of Kamoshida’s palace, of the calling card and how Yusuke would need to know ahead of time so he could take two or so days off of work.

 

 _Haru: friday_  
_Haru: we’re sending the calling card on friday_  
_Haru: please make sure to get all necessary preparations done by tomorrow afternoon, such as taking days off of work, or making sure that our weapons are sufficient_

 _Yusuke: Thanks for the heads-up, Haru! (_ _￣_ _▽_ _￣_ _)_ _ノ_

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _:_ **thankgoodness.jpg**  
_Makoto_ _☾_ _: I think my weapons are just fine, so I’m good to go!  
_ _Makoto_ _☾_ _: Let’s take him down! Gosh, tomorrow’s going to be so long now!_

_Goro: Excellent! One of us is going to have to make the calling card. Any volunteers?_

_Yusuke: I got this one! Leave it to me! (_ _｀_ _∇_ _´_ _ゞ_  
_Yusuke: I can mimic my mom’s handwriting, and the school has only seen her signature._  
_Yusuke: So, yeah!_

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _: I can grab art supplies and give them to you at the end of school tomorrow.  
_ _Makoto_ _☾_ _: Are you sure you’ll be alright with writing and making the card?_

_Yusuke: Uh, yeah?  
Yusuke: You’ve seen some of my art. I’m pretty decent._

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: That’s… a nice way to put it?_

 _Yusuke:_ _凸_ _( •̀_•́ )_

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 28_  
_Thursday_  
_Late Evening_  
_Dumas Café_

 

“Bedtime, Goro…” Haru warns softly, taking the other teen’s phone from him once he has turned it off. She plugs it into the chargers on the desk, making sure that they’re actually plugged in before walking over to her bed and getting in.

She hears the space heater click on and smiles to herself. It has become a routine by now.

Her stomach is in knots, and even Iwai had pointed out that she was more anxious than usual. She takes out the anxiety medication Kawakami gave her and takes a pill dry.

She was staying on schedule. Take one pill at night, because one of the side effects was drowsiness.

Haru silently puts the bottle away and ignores the nagging in the back of her mind telling her that she shouldn’t even be taking the medication.

“Haru, do you think this infiltration will help me with my memories?” Goro asks after a few moments of silence. She glances over to him to find that he isn’t looking at her, but at the floor instead.

To be honest, she was wondering the same time. It was so strange to think that Goro had no idea who he was supposed to be. It worried her.

But, she can’t let the doubt seep into her words.

“I t-think so. If your instincts a-are telling y-you that we should be doing this, t-then it must mean something, r-right?” she assures, and that seems to appease him for a few moments.

“I guess you’re right… Well, I sincerely hope that it works. I do not exactly like being an amnesiac. It can be rather… problematic.”

Haru smiles apologetically, tilting her head.

“I know… m-maybe you should g-get out of the attic… And you c-could find out more a-about yourself that way too,” Haru tries, but Goro gives her a blank look that tells her that no, they probably won’t be doing that for a while. How long is a while?

Even she doesn’t know.

Haru falls asleep before Goro, something she realizes she does more often than not.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 28_  
_Thursday_  
_Evening_  
_Niijima Residence_

 

Tonight, Makoto has managed to gather her family together.

Her mother, her father, and even Sae.

They aren’t the sort of family to do this, to eat together as a family.

But right now, this is what Makoto needs.

She needs to be here with them, if only for one night.

It’s a simple dinner, something that her mom made in under an hour.

“Sorry if it isn’t very good. I’m not that used to making this,” she laments as she brings in another plate of food.

Makoto gives her a smile and moves to the kitchen, taking out the nicer plates for them to use and straining to reach the top shelf for the glasses.

Her dad beats her to it, and she smiles at the sight of him.

“It’s alright, mom! I’m sure you tried your best!” she chirps, bounding back to the table to set up each plate as her dad follows after her.

“You know I could’ve done it instead, right?” her dad pipes up, but her mom just laughs and elbows him.

“I know! But, I wanted to take care of you for a change,” she replies, pecking his cheek and taking a few glasses from his hand.

Her dad rolls his eyes with a huff, but she can see the fond smile as clear as day. Her mom catches her staring and raises a brow.

“Are you sure everything’s alright, Makoto? You look like you’re about to cry,” she points out in concern, and Makoto realizes that there are indeed tears in her eyes.

“O-Oh! Um, yeah! I’m just… really glad that we’re doing this. I know you guys are busy, so…” Makoto isn’t able to finish that thought as the doorbell rings.

Her dad puts up a hand before she even moves, insisting that he’ll grab it, and no, she doesn’t need to do anything, she can continue helping her mother.

So, Makoto does. She doesn’t really know what else to do.

Her mom obviously knows that something’s up, but she wouldn’t understand what’s going on.

Tomorrow, they’re facing Kamoshida.

Something might go wrong, and she can’t bear to think about what might happen if it does.

“Makoto, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?” her mom asks, and she has to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

The classic mom thing to say.

She nearly cries at how concerned her mom sounds, how normal it is for her to care.

“Yeah, I know. I think I’m just sad because of Shiho’s current condition, y’know?” Makoto replies, receiving an unconvinced look. But, she won’t prod anymore.

Good.

Sae enters the dining room, all while talking to dad about another teacher. Makoto smiles, despite all of the thoughts clouding her mind.

Everything is normal, for now anyways.

Her father’s grey eyes meet her red ones, and she quickly averts them.

“Makoto, are you sure you’re alright?” he tries, and Makoto nods.

“Just fine, dad! I already told mom that I’m just a little sad because of Shiho. Sorry if I’m worrying you,” she replies with a smile, waving enthusiastically at Sae for good measure.

Sae gives her a smile, a rarity these days, especially with her as Makoto’s homeroom teacher…

Yeah, that’s still something she’s getting used to.

“You’re far more energetic these days. Maybe Iwai is actually being a good influence,” Sae mutters, earning a look from both of her parents.

“Iwai?” her dad asks, “That’s a new one… Makoto, you didn’t tell us about an ‘Iwai.’”

Makoto grins and shrugs. “Sorry! She’s pretty new around here. This is her third week?...” Sae nods in affirmation. “Third week! Her name is Haru, and she’s super cool! She has a stutter, but she can be really assertive when she needs to be.”

Her parents look at one another. Her mom asks, “So, her first day was… April 11, right?” Makoto thinks for a few moments, but then nods. “April 11…”

Her dad laughs and motions for everyone to sit down. “I think it was the same day back then, too. I had to show him around, and _you_ thought _he_ was my younger brother. We didn’t even look alike.”

There’s a sly look on her mom’s face as she sits down. “Yeah, and _you_ pulled a gun on _her,_ _Aki-tan.”_

Makoto listens with some interest. “Who was ‘her?’”

“You did _what,”_ Sae interrupts, more concerned about the elephant in the room.

Her mom lets out a small laugh. “Oh, the kid’s ‘big sis.’ She was new in town too, and she was already trying to join the Student Council. They were both of our friends back in the day,” her mom explains.

“Why haven’t we met them?” Makoto asks with a tilt of her head. Her mom smiles sadly, and opens her mouth to speak, though her dad appears hesitant.

“They-“

“I don’t-“

“-passed away. Both of them fell into comas and-“

“ _Hamuko,”_ her dad warns, voice tight and struggling to stay even, “I don’t think this is the best time to-“

“-they didn’t wake up. That’s why you’ve never met them,” her mom finishes, and her voice is tight as she sends a look to her dad. His mouth is set in a tight line, obviously displeased.

Makoto stares down at her plate, suddenly wanting nothing more than to get up and leave. But…

“Thank you for the meal,” she says instead, bowing her head and putting her hands together for a moment.

Dinner goes by uneventfully aside from that hiccup, and Makoto just tries to hold on to this feeling of being with her family.

When dinner is over, and she has helped put everything away, she hugs Sae and maybe lingers for a few moments, but Sae doesn’t say anything.

Now, as Makoto sits alone in her room, she wraps a blanket around herself and opens her laptop. Her fingers ghost over the keys, and she bites her lip.

Her eyes flit over to the three different chat clients she owns. One is for when her dad needs her help with a modeling job (she liked helping her dad with modeling, and sometimes it was the only time she saw him), another that her uncle built himself to keep in touch with her (he was always one to not trust big companies… despite the fact that he was apparently part of one himself), and the final one was just a regular, run-of-the-mill chat client.

She clicks on the third one. She jumps as a message from her Aunt Miki comes in.

 

 _Aunt Miki_ _➼_ _: Mornings suuuuuuck (´Д_ _｀_ _)_

 

Makoto laughs despite herself. Her aunt was in Vancouver, Canada to star in what was essentially an American version of _Phoenix Featherman R._

If her minimal research was correct, her aunt would be the wise old veteran who was familiar with the powers the main characters had.

_Makoto_ _☾_ _: Good morning, Aunt Miki!_  
_Makoto_ _☾_ _: I don’t blame you!  
_ _Makoto_ _☾_ _: It’s really early where you are!_

 _Aunt Miki_ _➼_ _: Makoto, I didn’t think you’d still be up!  
Aunt Miki _ _➼_ _: Isn’t it almost midnight where you are?_

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _: …Maybe!  
_ _Makoto_ _☾_ _: Just having trouble falling asleep._

 

Makoto stares at the screen for a few moments, and in those moments, she can feel Ching Shih in the back of her head.

As the youngest in terms of awakening her Persona, she’s still getting used to having a voice in the back of her head – a voice that sounds so much like her own, yet one that also likes to talk so casually, one that prefers to curse way more than Makoto likes to hear.

Ching Shih’s history lessons are usually rather interesting though – they remind her of her sister when they were younger, and she was complaining about some annoying classmate.

Makoto smiles to herself. She can barely see the outline of Ching Shih’s sharpened nails, and with the help of her computer screen, she can see a soft pair of yellow lights glowing behind her.

 

 _Aunt Miki_ _➼_ _: Really? You usually never have any trouble.  
Aunt Miki _ _➼_ _: Is something wrong?_

 _Makoto_ _☾_ _: Maybe._

 _Aunt Miki_ _➼_ _: What’s that supposed to mean? Do you want to talk about it?_

 

Makoto sucks in a breath and clings on to the feeling of Ching Shih looming over her shoulder. It’s hardly there, but she values the fact that there’s _something_ there to keep her grounded.

Everything is wrong, but she can’t just say that. It’s not really cool to just do that.

She thinks back to her parents, how they were so worried about her.

They were in the same house, they lived under the same roof, and yet Makoto could hardly say a word to them.

Then again, maybe that was because they hardly ever lived under that roof with her. She understood why, though – her mom was the coach for the Olympic volleyball team, and her father ran a fashion company – they were busy people.

But why, of all people, was she about to talk to her aunt, a woman she usually only talks to through the chat client, about this? She has called her before, video-chatted, but it was awkward. Texting was the best form of contact, and that’s how Makoto preferred it with her aunt.

 

 _Aunt Miki_ _➼_ _: Makoto?_

 

With bleary vision, Makoto tries to reply. But she can’t. Her hands are shaking. She’s trying to think, but nothing feels right.

 

 _Aunt Miki_ _➼_ _: Makoto, I’m going to call you._

 

Moments later, her laptop is letting off a jingle as her aunt’s profile picture pops up with a green phone icon. _Aunt Miki_ _➼_ _would like to video-chat with you…_

Makoto bites her lip, staring at the icon.

Should she?

Something takes control of her arm and forces her to accept the request.

 _“It’s important to talk to people you trust,_ _mèimei.”_

Instantly, her aunt’s concerned yet obviously tired face is on her laptop screen.

Makoto gives a shaky laugh, waving weakly at the woman.

“Makoto,” her aunt warns, running a hand through her messy hair, “what’s up? And don’t try pulling that ‘oh, nothing!’ stuff with me. I know your parents won’t bother you too much, but you can’t get past me!”

The girl in question drops her gaze away and bites her lip, trying to think of what she could say. How does she express her emotions without giving everything away?

She could try waving it off again, she could hang up, she could do so many things to avoid this conversation.

Instead, Makoto lets out a short sob and covers her mouth with a hand. “I… I’m sorry, Aunt Miki. I just… I don’t know what to do. Sometimes I… I feel like the weight of the entire world is on my shoulders, a-and I can’t do anything to stop it! And I’m trying to stay happy for Mom and Dad, but one of my best friends is in a coma _._ I… I want to be perfect for everyone around me, but… I can’t.”

Aunt Miki bites her lip, obviously trying to think of something to say.

“Listen, Makoto… It’s okay to be sad. You… don’t have to pretend to be happy. It’s a toxic mindset to have. You know that crying is healthy, right?” the older woman asks, and Makoto quickly moves to wipe away her tears. “No, don’t. Let it out, Makoto. You’re not weak for letting me see you cry. It’s alright.”

So, Makoto does.

She cries until she can’t cry anymore.

And even when she’s out of tears, she still tries to cry.

All the while, her aunt patiently waits. She watches Makoto cry, and maybe she even brushes her teeth while Makoto is distracted. Either way, she definitely looks more put together when Makoto can finally see the screen again.

“Better?” Aunt Miki asks, raising a brow, and Makoto nods. She sighs and runs a hand through her hair, ruffling it as she does so. “Makoto, you need to know this, so listen: you’re a very nice girl, and you have a big heart. You can try to hide it behind all the books you want, all the smiles you can muster, all of the outfits you rock… but you really can’t hide it.”

Makoto opens her mouth to say something, but her aunt puts up a hand to silence her. “People are going to think they can take advantage of that. So, what I need you to do is make them regret it. Remember that you have people you can alwaystrust. It’s not just me. Your mom and dad really care about you, Makoto. I know that they’re always busy, but your dad was telling me just how excited he was to be home for at least three weeks. And your mom? I’m sure she nearly blew up your uncle’s phone with how ecstatic she was to have an excuse to come home to see you. Take these moments and burn them into your memory, because they’re important. You don't want to look back and have regrets. I should know.”

Makoto smiles and nods, sniffling and desperately trying to wipe her tears once more.

She feels much better – though she most definitely doesn’t lookbetter.

“Alright… Thank you, Aunt Miki. I love you,” she whispers.

“Love you too, Makoto. Get some sleep, alright?” Makoto tiredly laughs and nods.

Aunt Miki’s face disappears soon after that, having been the one who hung up the phone.

Makoto sits in the peaceful silence of her room before she finally puts her laptop away, makes sure that her phone is charging, and lays back in her bed.

Ching Shih’s voice is soothing, and she can sense the ghostly touch of her Persona’s hand running through her short hair.

 _“Sleep,_ _mèimei. Sleep, and be prepared for our fight in the morning,”_ Ching Shih mumbles.

And so, Makoto falls asleep with the soothing sensation of her Persona patting her shoulder.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 28_  
_Thursday_  
_Late Evening_  
_Dumas Café_

 

Goro sits on the couch, silently watching Haru as she sleeps. His hand creeps up the side of his neck, gently running over the grey scales that are scattered all over.

He doesn’t know the meaning behind them.

He can’t remember why they’re there.

Letting out a tired sigh, he sits in front of the space heater and embraces the warmth it lets off. He runs a hand through his hair, letting out a shaky breath.

He won’t admit it, but he’s nervous about the infiltration.

Sure, he’s laid all of his otheranxieties out to Haru, but he has kept these other ones at bay.

He’s used to changing Shadows’ hearts, to taking smaller treasures and preventing Palaces from being formed, but this is the first time he actually has to tear down a Palace, has to steal a treasure guarded by a ruler.

He’s worried that something bad will happen.

Goro slinks over to the desk in the corner and carefully unplugs his phone.

It lights up with the action, and he blearily blinks at the near-blinding light that flows into his eyes.

He gets on to some website with too many videos to count. He starts falling down the rabbit hole of animal videos.

While Haru is away, he does this. He watches animal videos to distract himself from the possibility of Boss letting in the person who’s looking for him.

Then again, how would Goro know that it was _that person?_

He blinks at that thought.

“Instinct?” he tries, and he can see electricity surge through his arms before shooting out and forming Bass Reeves in front of him.

Goro glances up at the crocodilian for a few moments.

He sighs, flopping to the back of the couch with a huff.

 _“Instinct won’t be enough. You know this. You’ve been a coward for the past few weeks,”_ Bass states bluntly, dragging out a bitter laugh from Goro.

“Yes, I am aware. Why do you happen to care, Reeves?” Goro asks, averting his eyes when he realizes that he’s making direct eye contact – he hates staring at his Persona for too long. It all feels too familiar yet terrifyingly alien to him at the same time.

He's the most experienced out of the team when it comes to Personas. Him effectively summoning his Persona is like second nature to him. He’s not emotionally closeto his Persona, but at least he has someone to talk to.

Even if he doesn’t really _want_ to talk.

 _“Because I’m sick and tired of staying cooped up in this attic. I can only watch so many of those videos before I kill you myself. This is nearing a state of obsession. Continue like this, and we’ll never find your memories,”_ Bass responds, choosing to stand in front of the boy, rather than sit down.

This was a normal conversation for Goro when it came to his Persona – Bass Reeves was powerful, but it was also too much like Goro.

Bass Reeves is a weird Persona in general, if Goro had to be completely honest. He can’t remember what Bass Reeves is supposed to represent, if it represents anything.

 _“You think_ I’m  _strange? Take a look at yourself before you judge me,”_ Bass remarks. Goro rolls his eyes and plops his head on his pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

“We are rather pathetic, Bass. That is what I believe,” he says suddenly, putting his arm over his eyes. The space heater sputters for a moment but quickly corrects itself.

_“Maybe so. But you should have realized by now that we can’t solve our problems by staying here. I can feel it, even if you might not. I can feel the familiarity of our surrounding area. The places we were on our way to this café? It felt as though we were home.”_

Goro sits up at that. “You did?...” he asks the crocodilian. It nods, conjuring a small door. It’s made of cedar wood, and he momentarily wonders how he could possibly tell the difference. He reaches for the doorknob, but it distorts as his hand gets closer.

When he tries wrapping his fingers around the doorknob, it completely disappears.

Goro’s attention snaps to Bass Reeves, which is grumbling to itself.

_“Hm… we’ll need to jog your memory if you want to take a peek. I reckon we should go with your friend the next time she offers. It may be the only way.”_

Goro swallows the lump in this throat and goes over his options.

He could leave, or he could _not_ leave.

He could leave and possibly regain his memories, but he could also run into whoever’s after him.

He could choose to not leave and stay safe from this person, but he could also risk never finding out who he was before the Metaverse.

“Alright, fine. We’ll go when we’re asked,” he decides, laying back down and wrapping his blanket around himself. “Now, get out of here, you dumb alligator.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 28_  
_Thursday_  
_Late Evening_  
_Kitagawa Residence_

 

His thoughts are buzzing together, and it’s beginning to frustrate him.

He needs to write.

He needs to do this.

He needs to _win._

Yusuke taps his pen against the notebook in his lap, a ratty, old thing from his closet, leftover from who knows when. It has pictures of horses slapped all over it, something he probably picked out himself.

It’s embarrassing, but he thinks the notebook is cute.

He glances over at the construction paper and all of the other supplies that Makoto had thrown at him a few hours ago after he insisted that he could write this.

Write _this_ …

He said he would write down a draft of what he wanted to say, and then he’d transfer it on to a blank piece of paper, cut out some letters, glue them on the paper, and call it a night.

But that isn’t what’s happened. He got his homework out of the way, yes, but he’s spent the last three hours trying to understand why he can’t write _this_.

His mother is asleep in the living room, a mere nine or so meters away from him, but he feels like he should sit there with her, just to know that she’s there _._

It has crossed his mind a few times already, the thought of death.

The thought that maybe it won’t work out.

That maybe, just maybe, he won’t be able to bring down Kamoshida.

His mind is drawing a blank as he tries to put his tumultuous thoughts into words.

He doesn’t want to die.

_He doesn’t want to die._

So, he writes that on the notebook, big and sketchy and _desperate_ , but it’s not what he’s trying to get to. He needs to think.

But all he can think about is the possibility that he could leave in the morning and never come back.

It’s too dramatic, he reasons. Maybe he’ll be alright, but it’s a big “maybe” that hangs in the air and chokes him. He stifles a sob, trying to ease the shaking in his hands, but he can’t.

He finally recognizes why he has been struggling, and it makes him want to scream.

Yusuke fears death, yes, but he fears something far worse.

He fears leaving his mother behind.

Yusuke clutches the notebook in his hands with a deathly grip, deaf to how it bends beneath the strength of it. He swears he can smell smoke, but perhaps that’s just his imagination.

_“Find your calm, mon ami. Letting yourself go will only end up being a problem. We must face this with our full attention.”_

Yusuke’s eyes snap up and meet with Nostradamus, ethereal as it glides down and sits at his side. Its form is barely visible, but he can see the outlines of its mask, the cloak, the tome in its talons, and the pair of black voids that see deep into his soul.

 _“Think of what you have endured and translate these emotions into characters on the page. Think of what this is meant to represent,”_ Nostradamus tells him, and the black voids of its mask flicker with life for a moment, a playful spark that makes Yusuke narrow his eyes.

“Well… damn it, I’m just… that’s what I’m having trouble with. Nothing sounds right,” Yusuke insists, but Nostradamus motions for Yusuke to give it more room to sit on his bed.

Nostradamus is a quiet soul, the silent rage of his rebellion, but Yusuke isn’t used to having a voice in his head. Haru doesn’t say it, but he knows that she’s close with Lady Death. This week alone, he’s caught her mumbling to herself, knowing that she’s probably conversing either with Lady Death or one of the many, many demons that Haru has claimed as part of her soul.

It’s all natural to her, and yet Yusuke, someone who just wanted a _friend,_ something so _simple,_ finds it hard to even connect with his Persona.

Nostradamus slaps his wrist, and he yelps in surprise.

“Ow! The hell was that for?” he whispers furiously, stopping it from responding to make sure that his mother hasn’t been awakened by the noise. He hears no movement, so he assumes that she’s alright.

He drops his hand and Nostradamus shakes its head. _“Full attention, mon ami. They expect much of us.”_

Right.

He needs to concentrate.

He shakily turns the page, and suddenly, Nostradamus puts its hand over his, clutching it but not really at the same time, and he sees a sea of lavender.

_Refinement_

_Grace._

_Devotion._

_Femininity._

He grimaces at that, but then daffodils spring from the sea of lavender, overwhelming them like weeds and choking them until the purple is overwhelmed by bright gold.

The daffodils sway in the wind for a few moments, but then all simultaneously turn their blossoms towards him, and he’s reminded of their American meanings, something he learned out of boredom at the flower shop.

_New beginnings._

_Rebirth._

From the sea of gold is a singular mass of green, decorated by spikes and a pink flower that faces away from him.

A cactus.

_Lust._

The daffodils turn away from Yusuke and wrap their stems around the cactus until its uprooted and thrown away.

The cactus rapidly decays into a husk and then into nothingness.

The daffodils all turn back to face him once again.

Then, the vision fades away.

Yusuke lets out a shaky breath.

He whips around to Nostradamus for insight, but instead he finds that he is alone in his room once more.

“Damn it, Nostradamus…” he grumbles, but realizes that suddenly, he knows what he wants to say. The words he’s been struggling to find are finally within reach. A grin splits across his face.

He throws his notebook across the room and instead grabs the construction paper and art supplies, laying them out across his bedroom floor now. He tears the cap off of a black marker with his teeth and practically spits it across the room in his excitement.

_‘To Suguru Kamoshida, the embodiment of disgusting, wretched lust…’_

“We’ve got you now, Kamoshida,” Yusuke whispers after a few minutes of writing, looking out at the rest of the construction paper. He has chosen a light purple piece of paper, something he didn’t realize until now.

He bites his lip, looking at the white pieces of construction paper, the scissors, the other markers, and the glue sticks.

He can do this.

And so, as Thursday turns into Friday, Yusuke finishes the final calling card – he has made at least five of them, unable to stop himself. He knows where he can put these, and it makes his grin widen even more.

A note telling Kamoshida what they’re going to do – they’re stealing his distorted desires, and they’re going to force his rebirth.

An obscured figure with a sharp-toothed grin is depicted at the top, holding a mask over one half of its face. The mask itself is formed to resemble a daffodil, bright yellow and contrasting greatly against the purple.

He’s proud of his work, even if the other three may end up disliking it.

Yusuke falls asleep rather easily afterwards, surprisingly.

He’s going to do this.

For his team.

For his friends.

For Shiho.

_For his mother._

Unlike the previous year, Yusuke knows how to make him confess.

That time, he was incapable of exposing the truths.

That time, he failed. He failed miserably. He has the bad leg to prove it.

This time, he’s going to force a confession out of Kamoshida.

This time, he’s going to _win._

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

Haru finds herself atop the sea green mirror once again. She stares up at the sky, unable to fathom why it’s so green, when the ocean below is a bright and beautiful blue.

She looks down and stares at her face, which now holds her Metaverse mask.

Haru sighs, taking off the mask and staring at the design of it.

Her thumb runs over the smooth surface of it, tracing the four-pointed stars over the eyeholes.

_“Krasivaya, yes?”_

Turning her head, she finds herself looking at Lady Death, who looms over her awkwardly yet soothingly.

She does not understand the language that Lady Death uses so frequently, but at the same time she knows it by instinct.

White carnations curl around Lady Death’s skeletal hand and wind around the rifle of her other arm. They wrap around the necks of the silhouettes. With a snap of Lady Death’s fingers, the silhouettes vanish.

The hollyhock blossoms turn this way and that, but they always seem to return to a certain point, that being directed towards Lady Death’s face.

Haru instinctively puts a hand to her throat, remembering the last time she was here with terrifying clarity.

Lady Death shakes her head and lets out a low chuckle.

_“No need for worries, rebenok. You’re finding your resolve. That’s good. You’ll need that for tomorrow’s fight.”_

Haru’s stomach lurches at the reminder.

Tomorrow is one of the biggest fights of her life, it seems.

 _“Because of what this represents. This mudak is a being of lust. I know of what happened to you, rebenok,”_ Lady Death says to interrupt her thoughts. She grimaces and sits down, hugging her knees to her chest.

Her Persona sits down next to her without hesitation. Haru glances down at the reflection that the mirror portrays, and her stomach churns at the face that’s shown instead of Lady Death’s. She curses inwardly for not seeing it before. She knows who this is, who it’s supposed to be.

“What is this place, Lady Death?” she asks instead of acknowledging what she’s seen. She tries to erase it from her memory, but she can sense that pair of yellow lights looking down at her.

 _“I am not only the one you desire the most, but also you. A paradox in and of itself. You cannot escape your own faults,”_ she replies instead.

The mirror flashes a dark green as Haru’s confusion turns into annoyance.

 _“‘Thine asinine thoughts be thy curse’ is what I told you when we first met, and it still remains true.”_ Haru sends her a look, one that has Lady Death letting out a sigh in defeat. _“Though, asinine may have been a cruel word to use. You enjoy overcomplicating and never sharing your feelings and the thoughts that whirl within your mind.”_

Lady Death puts her hand to Haru’s temple at that and tilts her head. _“Your comrades have yet to recognize it, but I have seen it from the beginning; I am you and the parts of her that you remember, after all.”_

“You didn’t answer my question.”

The mirror is nearly black at this point as the words leave her mouth.

Lady Death laughs, a free and jovial thing that makes bile rise in Haru’s throat at the sheer familiarity of it all.

The mirror turns back to its original color.

 _“Fine, fine, rebenok. This is a peaceful place, one that stems from your memories of the person I represent,”_ she responds, offering her hand to Haru.

Haru stares at the flowers, grimacing. She knows the meaning behind them all, yet she doesn’t want to admit it. She remembers pouring over as many books as she could find, memorizing what she could.

“We never went to the ocean, though. I wasn’t allowed to go many places,” Haru explains, directing her attention towards the water once again. She can’t stare; she shouldn’t.

_“It represents how that person made you feel. While conflicted, it has moments of peace. When you first dreamt of this place, you didn’t react very well. Therefore, you choked on primroses and nearly drowned.”_

Haru nods, though it still doesn’t make much sense. “I didn’t see _your_ face when you grabbed my wrist… Was that because of the water?” Lady Death nods with a sigh, regarding her right hand for a moment. She flexes and relaxes the joints, and Haru watches as a few petals fall away with this action.

 _“There are things here that will show you the truth. I do not yet know how long you will be able to keep my presence. When I eventually must leave, you will have to discover the truths of this place by yourself,”_ Lady Death says with a hint of sadness to her voice.

Haru’s heart clenches at that. She… she can’t. Something forms in her throat.

When she coughs, a few primroses fall into her hands. Lady Death places a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she can breathe once again.

 _“The flowers are lovely, if you would like to know. Have you always been interested in their symbolism?”_ Haru shrugs. The water is still. It is tranquil. Yet, she swears she can see something rising in the distance. She lets the small flowers fall from her hands, and rests them on her knees.

“I thought you were me, so you would know… But, the one you represent… she taught it to me. She loved gardening,” Haru mumbles, putting her chin on her arms.

 _“I know very few things. I merely know the parts of you that were present when you awakened me, certain aspects of my purpose, and what I am meant to represent,”_ Lady Death replies.

“Then, maybe we should teach one another everything we know,” Haru says with a small smile. This seems to please the Persona, who stands and offers her hand once more, and Haru takes it this time.

She stands, and Lady Death pulls her towards the edge of the mirror. Instead of sinking into the water, the Persona stands on it as if it were a solid.

 _“You mustn’t let hesitation plague your mind. A mudak who values lust is who you must tear down from a community-made pedestal,”_ she says, tugging Haru’s arm until she stumbles on to the water.

_On to?_

She looks down to find that the water has crystallized, a smaller mirror now beneath her feet.

Lady Death releases her hold of Haru’s hand and walks a few paces forward. She turns back to wait, and Haru feels a chilled wind blow against her face.

It smells like the ocean, like salt and water and fish, and for some reason, she likes it. It’s soothing.

She takes another step forward; a grin splits across her face as another mirror appears.

_“I know you well, rebenok. Failure is not an option for you. If you fail your comrades, if you fail to bring this mudak down, you see death as the only option, yes?”_

Haru freezes and her smile fades.

 _“Failure is not an option, and we both know this. So, you must believe that you will succeed. It helps no one if you focus on the negatives, on the worst-case scenarios. They may happen, yes, but that is only if you **allow** it to happen,” _Lady Death explains, and the mirrors beneath Haru’s feet crack under her stress. As the mirrors finally shatter, Lady Death is already there to catch her.

And as the world around her fades, as she slips into consciousness, she can hear her Persona’s voice soothingly mutter to her.

_“Let us fight until our last breath, moya doch.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alstroemerias are entirely based within friendship. They usually are associated with the power of friendship and a mutual bond of support between two people. In this case, it's between three people! It also represents being able to withstand the trials of everyday life, and a sense of devotion between friends.
> 
> Lady Death translation notes:  
> Krasivaya - beautiful
> 
> Mudak – asshole, shithead, etc. (this curse word is specifically used for men. It also is usually used to describe the certain type of jerk that’s not smart enough to realize how awful he really is.)  
> Moya doch – My daughter
> 
> Minor Nostradamus translation note:  
> Mon ami – my friend (I never wrote a note for this, but yeah.)  
>    
> Can we please send some love to my other editor, Baz, for reading and editing this in a day? What a queen!  
> This chapter was a PAIN IN THE ASS TO WRITE. I’m not kidding, you guys. I was on spring break and hardly even touched this, and it sucks! Sorry about that!  
> But, the last four parts of the chapter, where everyone has their own moment that involves their Personas? Yeah, that… wasn’t part of the outline. But I’m really glad that I added it. I think it helps with character development, because lord knows that Goro needed this.  
> The rest of this chapter was completely planned, so I hope that it was still entertaining.  
> And yes, the P3 and P4 casts have been swapped. Chie is the Fortune arcana, and then… oh, did you guys figure it out?  
> Yeah! Makoto’s parents are Akihiko and Hamuko (FeMC) from Persona 3! Let’s get this bread, ladies and gents!  
> I guess I _could_ give the full casts, but they’ll eventually be talked about more later. I guess you guys will just have to wait for now. I hope you guys were able to figure out that Ken was the MC in this universe, but what’s this? An older sister?! Wow, wonder who that is! I won’t be saying, though! I will give Hamuko and Akihiko’s arcanas, just for funsies!  
> But, here’s what the lists look like so far! Keep in mind that since Hamuko exists in this universe, there are two characters who fill the role of the Fool.
> 
> P3 Cast:  
> Minato Arisato - ???  
> Hamuko Arisato - Magician  
> Yukari Takeba - ???  
> Akihiko Sanada - Lovers  
> Junpei Iori - ???  
> Mitsuru Kirijo - ???  
> Aigis - ???  
> Fuuka Yamagishi - ???  
> Shinjiro Aragaki - ???  
> Ken Amada - Fool  
> Ryoji Mochizuki - ???
> 
> And then…
> 
> P4 Cast:  
> Yu Narukami - ???  
> Yosuke Hanamura - ???  
> Chie Satonaka - Fortune  
> Yukiko Amagi - Lovers  
> Teddie - ???  
> Kanji Tatsumi - ???  
> Rise Kujikawa - ???  
> Naoto Shirogane - ???
> 
> Pretty rough, right? Well, the lists will eventually be fully filled, and everything will be a bit less frustrating.  
> Anyways, this fic has a discord server, and you can find it here: https://discord.gg/m2vnwTU  
> Come on over and hang out! I'm pretty active on here, and you can see all of the concept art from the fic! I'll also be posting a picture showing the layout of the Kitagawa apartment.
> 
> Anyways, until next time, see ya! Thank you all so much for reading!


	10. Cactus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for the following: attempted suicide and implied self-harm. You have been warned.
> 
> Welcome to the end of the Kamoshida arc. To all the guys, gals, and non-binary pals who are reading, I thank you for getting this far.

_April 29_  
_Friday_  
_Morning  
Shūjin Academy_

 

The calling cards are plastered on the P.E. announcement board. They’re all light purple papers that have something written on them in black.

 

 _To Suguru Kamoshida, the embodiment of disgusting, wretched lust: we have seen your actions and are absolutely revolted. To finally bring your sins to light, we will steal your distorted desires without fail.  
_ _Get ready, Kamoshida.  
_ _We will win.  
_ _You will be reborn._

_From, The Phantom Thieves_

 

Yusuke stands off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest with what seems like pride as he waits for Haru and Makoto to come in for their opinions.

 

 _yus-gay: Calling card is up!  
_ _yus-gay: Let’s get this heart, ladies!  
_ _yus-gay: …And Goro._

 _yo hoe yo hoe: Oh, really?  
_ _yo hoe yo hoe: Cool!  
_ _yo hoe yo hoe: Has Kamoshida seen it yet?_

 

Yusuke looks up from his phone to find that no, the man has not seen it yet. He’s still in his office doing who knows what.

The bastard doesn’t know what’s about to hit him.

 

_the geico gecko: Please contact me when we are to enter the Metaverse. Also, remember that we only have one shot, so do not allow this chance to go to waste! Good luck to you all!_

_yus-gay: *Insert “Lose Yourself” by Eminem here*_

_mother russia: thanks, goro  
_ _mother russia: i’ll be there soon  
_ _mother russia: my train was a few minutes late_

_yo hoe yo hoe: Actually, pics or it didn’t happen_

 

Yusuke frowns at that. What is she talking about?

 

_yus-gay: What?_

_yo hoe yo hoe: Send us a picture of the calling card!_

 

Ah.

So that’s what she wanted.

 

 _yus-gay: Nah.  
_ _yus-gay: Come and see it for yourself, nerd._

_yo hoe yo hoe: But I might be late!_

_yus-gay: Huh, that sounds like an iss-you!_

_yo hoe yo hoe: Yusuke Kitagawa, you’re a dead man!_

_yus-gay: Bold of you to assume I fear you!_

 

“But do you?” Haru asks, having suddenly appeared next to him who knows when.

Yusuke may or may not have shrieked, catching the attention of a few students who were looking at the cards for a few moments.

He glares at Haru for a few moments, but it softens at the small, amused smile she has on her face from her little prank.

Yusuke is so, so incredibly gay, but he would be damned if he said that Haru wasn’t adorable sometimes.

He turns away from the calling cards to talk to her.

“Of _course_ I do – sometimes. Have you _seen_ Sae when she’s angry?” Yusuke quips, watching as Haru’s face winces with the thought.

The women of the Niijima family were not to be trifled with.

“Yeah, well, imagine that but compacted into a seventeen-year-old gi- Wait, you’ve _seen_ her angry. Imagine that but in our world!” he explains, and Haru nods in understanding. Yes, she can understand it now.

“Well, she’s a-angry with you,” Haru concludes promptly, looking past him towards something else. He doesn’t really need to follow her gaze to _feel_ the glare burning into the back of his neck.

 _“Good luck, mon ami!”_ Nostradamus pipes up unhelpfully, and Yusuke finally turns around with a bright smile on his face.

“Makoto, the light of my life, the purest form of happiness, one of my favorite people, how are you this morning?” he chirps, just barely dodging a foot aimed directly at his own.

Makoto is noticeably tired – she has bags under her eyes and her hair is in a state of slight disarray. It deeply worries the both of them, and Haru tilts her head in an obvious gesture of concern.

“I didn’t sleep well, and then I slept in, and then _someone_ decided to give me sass!” She gives a pointed glare towards him, though he pretends that he doesn’t notice.

“G-Goro asked me to call him w-when we a-all got here…” Haru speaks up, catching both of their attentions.

“What? But… didn’t he tell us to just contact him when we go into the Metaverse?” he replies, just quiet enough so only they can hear him.

“I don’t k-know why… H-He’s like that sometimes…” she mumbles out, whipping out her phone and pressing the name in her contacts simply titled “Goro.” Yusuke manages to catch a glance of the girl’s contacts, only four in total at the moment.

“Is the moon emoji just your thing?” Yusuke mutters to Makoto, who tiredly stares at him in silent question. He motions towards Haru, who isn’t looking at them. “The moon emoji. You used it for my phone too, back when I first got your number.”

She gives a shrug, the fire she previously had now gone to obvious nerves. She has her arms crossed over her chest and hugs herself a bit tighter as more students gather and chatter amongst themselves.

Makoto watches a first-year pass by, staring at the cards for a few moments before going on their way. Moments later, Yusuke spots Futaba as she pushes her way through the crowd. There’s a moment of silence before one of the calling cards is torn down.

 _“Ah, dieu merci! Nous avons fait plus d’un!”_ Nostradamus chimes in, and Yusuke realizes that he barely understands what his Persona is saying.

“Nostradamus makes no sense,” Yusuke mutters to Makoto, who looks at him once again to process what he has said.

“Oh, same,” she deadpans. “Ching Shih is really trying her best, but I sometimes can’t understand her. As in, she says something in Chinese-“ Makoto pauses, wincing a bit as something distracts her, “Oh, sorry, she says it’s Cantonese. Anyways, I instantly lose my train of thought when she does that… I think it’s because we aren’t as close to our Personas. Have you _heard_  Lady Death in the Metaverse? She says absolute gibberish and Haru’s just like, ‘alright, sick.’ I’m kind of jealous.”

“Yeah… I’ve noticed that too…” Yusuke risks a glance back to the girl in question, who smiles as Goro picks up.

“What’s the situation like over there?” is what Yusuke thinks he overhears, but he can’t be too sure.

The crowd of students has become particularly rowdy now, Futaba having taken down two of the cards by now. The girl is trying to raise her voice above them all, saying something about quieting down, but it isn’t doing much.

“N-Not the best…” Haru replies with a grimace, though she quickly recognizes that Goro can’t see it. “T-The student council president has stepped in…”

Yusuke wants to step forward and stop said president, though Kamoshida has finally come out from his office to see what all of the commotion is about.

The students that were crowded around the board immediately disperse, and the seemingly fearless student council president looks a bit pale as she slowly surrenders one of the cards over to him.

“These were on the board, sir. I… I don’t know who did this, but I promise I'll figure it out,” Futaba mumbles, avoiding the man’s gaze as his expression morphs from confusion to absolute rage.

Haru grabs Yusuke’s shoulder and whips him around to face her, bringing Makoto with him in the process. She glances over Makoto’s shoulder for a moment to check before she whispers into the phone, “The target has read the calling card.”

Goro lets out a yell so loud that even Yusuke can hear it, and it forces Haru to momentarily take the phone away from her ear.

“No, you’re fine. I think I already know who did this,” Kamoshida spits, and Yusuke tries to ignore that.

Haru scowls, gripping her phone a bit tighter and taking a deep breath.

“We’re fine,” she assures quietly, and it startles Yusuke how _calm_ she sounds. There isn’t any sign of her stutter as she continues, “we haven’t done anything wrong, right?”

Kamoshida looms over all three of them, though Makoto doesn’t seem to care about this as she turns to face him.

“Is there something we can help you with, sir?” she asks, red eyes narrowing as Kamoshida flat-out _ignores her_ so he can glare down at Yusuke.

“Natsumi,” he grits out.

“It’s Yusuke, actually, so you’re really far off,” he quips without thinking which earns him an even harsher glare. “Anyways, is there something you need?”

“You did that, didn’t you? Why would you even bother?” Kamoshida demands, and Yusuke knows that he’s just trying to egg him on.

“Did what? Oh, those cards? Nah, someone else did it,” Yusuke waves him off casually, sticking his hands in his pockets.

“Yeah, right. That’s your awful drawing, isn’t it? You did that yourself, huh?” he goads, and Yusuke raises a brow.

Inside, he’s screaming and cursing and kicking at the man, but he has to keep it cool. Nostradamus is sort of helping with that, in that it’s feeding off of his rage and making him calm.

Before he can respond, Haru decides to go first. “Why would you assume that it’s us? You’re right in one regard: why would we even bother?”

Her tone is calm, but he can tell that she’s nervous. She’s subtly shaking, and when she tucks some of her hair behind her ear, he can see how her hand trembles.

“Whatever. Get out of my sight, you worthless piles of garbage. Shūjin will be better off without you rats,” Kamoshida hisses out, and Yusuke takes a deep breath. He jumps as someone grabs his hand, and he looks down to find that it’s Haru.

He meets her eyes and she nods with a small smile.

“Right… got it, got it…” he trails off, and Makoto finally makes herself known by stepping in front of her two friends.

“Mr. Kamoshida, we need to get to class. If you could please drop this, then we will be on our way,” she says with a sweet smile, though he can sense the pure annoyance and anger emanating off of her.

Kamoshida’s expression softens, and Yusuke resists the urge to gag. _Gross._

“Hate that, really over it,” he mutters to Haru, who puts a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

“Right, of course. Sorry, Mako-chan. Get to class, the three of you,” he demands, and so they do…

Of course, that’s after Yusuke takes a picture of the remaining calling cards with a grin.

“Did you all hear that?” Haru asks once they’re out of earshot.

“No...?” Yusuke replies, drawing out the ‘o’ with a bit of confusion, “I mean, I heard him being an absolute creep to Makoto.” Haru frowns, glancing back to where they came from and sighs.

“Nevermind, then… I-I must just be hearing t-things…”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 29_  
_Friday_  
_After School  
Shūjin Academy_

 

Hifumi doesn’t know what to do. Next Monday, everything will be exposed to the world – but there is hope in her, because she has seen those calling cards, and she’s reminded of the note Kitagawa gave her.

She doesn’t know why, but she knows that whatever Kitagawa is planning, it’s happening today. It’s her intuition as well as common sense that leads to her sneaking up to the rooftop.

Hifumi knows that Kitagawa, Iwai, and Niijima all hang out here after school every once in a while.

She just barely manages to dodge Student Council President Sakura’s ever-diligent patrol around the school, making sure that everyone is doing what they should be, though she _does_ notice how the girl completely avoids going to the rooftop.

So, she decides to check just to say that she did.

Hifumi silently opens the door and looks out to find that the three are indeed talking to one another. Iwai stands up and says something, but the other two appear almost solemn as they nod and stand up as well.

Hifumi closes the door behind her and wanders closer, though they don’t seem to notice her as she nears them.

Before she can call out to them, the world suddenly shifts, and her head is spinning as the sky turns a hellish red, and a golden castle that’s surrounded by a red aura appears before her.

She puts a hand over her mouth before she can scream.

What is this?

_What is this?_

She watches as the sky above her pulses angrily, and there are three figures in front of her, though their backs are turned away from her.

She chooses to hide behind one of the castle’s walls, which looms tall over her. She feels so small, yet… something stirs, as if she wants to explore.

No.

She doesn’t want to do that.

_Or does she?_

“Is Ace almost here? You contacted him already, right?” says one of the figures, interrupting her thoughts. They wear a plague doctor’s mask. One of the others, evidently a girl judging by the fluffy hair and the feminine physique, sighs.

“H-He should be… I’m… not sure, really…”

She blinks.

_Huh, that voice sounds familiar…_

“Ah, hello, everyone! Apologies for my tardiness,” says a male voice, and she whips around to find a boy dressed reminiscent of an American cowboy running up to them. He doesn’t notice her due to being too excited to meet with the other three.

What… what is even going on?

She spots another girl next to the first, also a brunette who looks rather plain next to the other three. Though, the naginata strapped to the girl's back seems to challenge it. Hifumi wouldn't dare to voice that thought if it meant she'd be on the other end of that blade.

“About time, Ace! Jester, should we head in?” asks the shorter girl, to which the first, Jester, nods.

“G-Go to the last safe room, plan a-accordingly, and then grab the Treasure. Ace, you’re _sure_ it has manifested?” Jester asks Ace, who smiles and nods.

“Of course! You sent out the calling card, and he saw it. Therefore, we’ll be able to grab it.”

_Calling card?_

_The calling card!_

That was what those were for?

Wait, then that means… This must be for Kamoshida?

“Good… Let’s g-go, then,” Jester says finally, adjusting the black cloak around her shoulders. She pulls down a pair of red gloves, ensuring that they’re not going to slip off.

“Alright, then. Lead the way, Jester!” cheers the one with the plague doctor mask, and the four run off.

Hifumi slowly moves from her hiding place, glancing around for some sort of exit.

“The exit is that way,” whispers a soft voice, one that makes Hifumi’s blood run cold and her face pale.

She whips around to confirm her suspicions, and discovers that yes, it is indeed Shiho Suzui in front of her.

“Suzui-san?! W-What are you doing here?!” Hifumi demands, though Suzui doesn’t pay her tone any mind.

“I’m… not real, Togo-san. I’m a part of the King’s cognition… Though, I guess I gained some sort of individuality when I was created,” she replies, and now Hifumi can see the yellow in the other girl’s eyes, a stark contrast from the dark brown of… the _real_ Suzui?

This version of Suzui is dressed in more revealing clothes than the real Suzui would be comfortable, but with a snap of her fingers they turn into her volleyball uniform. She smiles and crosses her arms over her chest.

“So… what does that mean for them?” Hifumi finds herself asking, referring to the strange group of four.

Suzui smiles sadly.

“They’re going to steal something from the King, something that will force him to change… And, when that happens, I will cease to exist,” she explains, uncrossing her arms and putting a hand to Hifumi’s cheek as a tear slides down. “But… it isn’t all that bad. Changing his heart will make everyone’s lives better… and he’ll pay for what he did to the real version of me.”

“Suzui-san…” Hifumi chokes out, unable to stop herself from letting out a sob, “I’m so sorry for letting this happen to you. You… you didn’t deserve this.” Suzui smiles again, but it’s far more genuine.

“Togo-san, nobody deserves what happened to the real Suzui. The King is disgusting, and I guess I’m supposed to be that small part of him that is aware… Who knows. Either way, you need to leave. If they can steal the Treasure, this place will fall apart and destroy whatever resides within it. That will include myself, but it doesn’t matter,” Suzui replies.

_Fall apart?_

_She’ll die?_

“Come with me, Hifumi-chan. Let’s get you out of here,” Suzui interrupts her thoughts, and takes her hand, tugging her towards the castle’s gate.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

_April 29_  
_Friday_  
_After School  
Castle of Lust – Treasure Room_

 

“Uh, Ace? You… you good there, buddy?” Yusuke says finally, the three of them absolutely dumbfounded as Goro hugs the Treasure, which has manifested as a gigantic crown.

“It’s like that video of that frog and the blueberry…” Makoto mumbles, and Yusuke lets out a short laugh that he quickly silences.

“A-Ace, let’s go… We need to move…” Haru says quickly, peeling him off of the crown and glancing back towards her team. They’ll need to work together to heave this thing out of here, but if it triggers the change of heart, then it'll be worth it.

They heave the crown out of the treasure room and into the throne room, which is empty now that the shadows have been dispatched to anywhere _but_ here.

The four of them are working together to move it, but their teamwork is interrupted when… a volleyball hits the crown out of their grasp?

“Shit!” she hears Yusuke yell, and she can definitely agree with that.

“What was that?!” Makoto demands, but Shadow Kamoshida leaps over them and answers that question for them. Cognitive Makoto runs to his side, a playful smile gracing her face as she runs a finger up and down the man’s cape.

Kamoshida puts a hand to the crown, and it shrinks so that it can fit on his head.

“This simply proves that I am the king of this castle, and you miserable scums of the earth will only serve as splatters on the walls that will have to be cleaned away!” Kamoshida exclaims.

“Yo, dickhead!” Yusuke shouts with hands around his mouth to help project his voice (despite the existence of his mask), “What the hell’re you doing here? Shouldn’t you be off somewhere else? Or what, did you want to ambush us?”

Makoto says something about Yusuke needing to watch his language, but Haru ignores it. Kamoshida sneers and pushes Cognitive Makoto away.

“No, I simply made it easier to find you. I’ll be taking you down myself.”

Goro tilts his head and sighs, adjusting his scarf. “I’m afraid that that’s our line, Kamoshida. And anyways, you aren’t allowed to. Your actions are unjustifiable, Kamoshida. We will be stealing your heart to ensure that nobody else will-“

Yusuke interrupts Goro with a soft pat on the shoulder and, “Yeah, what he’s saying. Anyways, get ready, you bastard.”

And with that, Kamoshida puts the crown on his head and practically explodes. His body remains as nothing but a heap of pulsing, squirming flesh until suddenly, Shadows race in through the large entrance doors. Except, instead of attacking, they stab through one another’s armors, freeing their spirits and entering the heap of flesh.

Finally, the flesh grows, bigger, bigger, bigger, until it towers a good thirty feet above them all. It’s an awful imitation of Kamoshida, its head so large it threatens to weigh down the rest of his body. Its flesh is a dark pink and large, bulging eyes flit around frantically until they land on the four of them. The crown has grown back to its gargantuan size and sits on the Shadow’s head, with his curly black hair now held behind it with a pair of curling horns framing it.

It has two sets of razor sharp teeth with a disgusting, long tongue lolling out from it. Four arms sprout from its middle. One holds a wine glass, another two a knife and fork, which must be for the hulking trophy sitting in front of him, with pairs of legs dangling out from it.

A cape billows out behind the shadow, tied around its skinny neck and making it look that much more intimidating.

“Holy shit,” Makoto whispers, unable to censor herself.

Nonetheless, Haru can't help but agree.

Even so, she has to swallow down her fear and be the leader she’s supposed to be.

“Lady Death!” she calls out, ripping away her mask and taking her calming presence.

_“I’m listening, moya doch. Let us fight!”_

“Right… Let’s go,” she says, gaining the attention of her teammates.

Haru can hear the excited laughter of Ching Shih that chills her to her bones, the silent anger of Nostradamus that warms her back up, and the humming of electricity from Bass Reeves that crackles through her bones, livening her spirit.

Even in the back of her mind, she can hear the rest of her Personas going into an excited frenzy, clamoring for the chance to fight until Lady Death places a hand on her shoulder and hums.

Haru realizes now that the trophy seems to be blocking them from landing a hit on Shadow Kamoshida and reasons that it would most likely be easier to hit him if they got rid of it.

“F-Focus the trophy… I’m not sure w-what he’ll use it for other than protection,” she orders, just loud enough for them to hear her.

Makoto grins and brandishes her naginata, Ching Shih unsheathing its sword to reflect the action. “Got it!”

Kamoshida’s bulging eyes travel from the four of them to focus on Makoto. It smashes down its arm with the fork in it. Makoto barely manages to jump out of the way, but Yusuke pats her on the back with a healing spell just for good measure.

It lets out a shriek that eerily sounds similar to words, and Haru swallows the lump in her throat. Goro points out the Treasure on top of Kamoshida’s head and says something about stealing it while he’s distracted.

They’ll have to start distracting him, then…

When the first hit lands on the trophy, Kamoshida shrieks in protest and orders a row of slaves to spike volleyballs at them.

While unusual in retrospect, it still hurts like hell.

Finally, when the trophy is destroyed, Makoto lets out a yell. Ching Shih blasts a ray of ice at the demon and grins when it screeches in pain.

While Makoto starts whaling on the demon, Goro taps Haru’s side and points out a pillar and terrace nearby. Yusuke decides to join in helping Makoto when he realizes that Goro and Haru are talking about something, and efficiently distract Kamoshida.

“I believe we could use that to snatch the Treasure back. One of us could climb it and knock the Treasure off his head if we jump far enough,” Goro explains, and yeah, that doesn’t seem that bad. “You just need to figure out who to send.”

Even easier.

“He’s v-very focused on Makoto, a-and Yusuke has a bad leg. Y-You should do it, G-Goro,” she suggests, and his face lights up.

“Alright, got it! Just make sure to keep him busy. I’ll be cheering you all on,” Goro assures. Haru nods and joins Makoto and Yusuke, who are obviously relieved by her arrival.

“Where’s the gecko?” Yusuke asks, and Haru puts a hand up to her mouth to ask that he stay quiet.

“He’s busy,” she finally replies, summoning Lady Death once more to grab Kamoshida’s attention.

“Damn brats! You should learn to have more respect for me! I’ll kill you for defying me! I’ll kill you all!” Kamoshida wails, slamming his hands on the ground. The earth rumbles with the action, and Haru checks to find that Goro has hidden himself behind the pillar.

Haru looks back too late to find that she’s being pummeled by a few volleyballs again.

“Don’t let your guard down, Jester! I can only do so much healing!” Yusuke calls, and she softly apologizes. She stops him before he hits her over the head, opting instead to heal herself with Succubus.

She cringes at the feeling of Succubus putting a dainty hand on her head, absentmindedly playing with a few strands.

“Quit it,” she whispers, smacking the demoness’s hand away. A disappointed hum fills her ears, but the hand retracts nonetheless.

Out of the corner of her eye she spots Goro climbing up the pillar and on to the terrace. They make eye contact once again, but he motions for her to focus.

Another beam of ice comes from Ching Shih, which mixes surprisingly well with a dark blast from Lady Death.

Haru and Makoto glance at one another, and the latter holds up a fist. Hesitantly, Haru bumps her fist with the offered one. The grin on Makoto’s face makes Haru smile, though she doesn’t know why.

“Wait, holy shit! That’s where he went?!” Yusuke demands, eyes directed towards Goro, who’s backing up for a running start.

Haru pulls his attention back to the battle by bumping his shoulder and nodding her head towards the behemoth sitting in front of them. “L-Like I said: busy,” she mutters with a mischievous smile, tapping the flat side of her dagger against his arm. “Let’s k-keep distracting K-Kamoshida to help him out.”

She’s given a silent, almost disappointed stare, but he nonetheless removes his mask. He calls for Nostradamus, stretching his arms over his head.

“Fine, then. I’ll be ready to heal him if this goes wrong,” he assures as Kamoshida finally notices that there’s one less teenager than there was before.

“Wait, where’s the fourth one?! The one with the crocodile? You piles of sewage better not be trying to trick me!” Kamoshida hisses, and Goro laughs from his spot above.

“It’s an alligator, actually, and this fight is already over!”

Goro leaps from the terrace with his bat at the ready. With a well-placed strike, the crown flies from Kamoshida’s head and towards the three of them. It lands somewhere behind them, but Goro himself seems a bit worried by the prospect of landing.

The only problem is that he’s in the middle of falling when he realizes that he must do so.

“No worries, you stupid gecko! I got you!” Yusuke calls, sending a healing spell at Goro as he lands, albeit clumsily.

The creature above them wails in despair, and the castle itself shakes with the action.

“It’s over, now,” Haru mutters, glancing back at the crown, which has shrunk back down to a normal size. They _could_ leave right now, nab the Treasure and book it, but… Kamoshida looks like he has no intention of letting them leave.

Kamoshida proves to be a difficult foe, even after his Treasure has been knocked from his head.

But finally, he shrinks back to his normal form, yellow eyes wide with fear. He scrambles for the crown, but Makoto puts her crossbow against his forehead.

“Don’t you even try to move,” she hisses, and everyone simultaneously shivers at her tone. The temperature in the room has seemed to drop at least five degrees, and even Kamoshida can feel it.

Goro holds the small crown in his hands, watching intently with the other two of them.

“This is your choice, Captain,” Goro warns, “but I don’t know what might happen if we kill his Shadow.”

Makoto’s eyes flit from Kamoshida to her teammate. Haru can see how her hands are trembling with uncertainty.

“You took everything from Shiho… You ruined my life…” Makoto starts, her grip tightening on her crossbow, “You deserve to die here for everyone you’ve hurt, but…” Makoto shoots her crossbow, but she aims it right above his head a moment before she fires it.

A deafening silence overtakes the throne room, the only sound being the whimpering coming from Kamoshida’s Shadow.

“You make me sick… But death is too kind for you. You deserve to rot in a cell until there’s nothing but bones. So, get out of my sight. Go where you need to, so you can make sure that happens, or I’ll make you regret my mercy,” she orders, and he nods frantically.

In a flash, the Shadow is gone.

Yusuke breaks the silence, uncertain. “Alright, then… Now what?”

His answer comes in the form of the ground shaking beneath them. “The Palace is falling apart. We need to get out of here!” Goro says over the growing noise.

Haru decides to lead the charge out of the Palace, and she can hear Lady Death and the rest of her Personas urging her to run faster, to not turn that way, to avoid that hallway, to not turn back, to-

Somewhere behind her, she hears a yell of pain.

Whipping around, she finds that Yusuke is holding his leg with his fists clenched, unable to move.

Without a second thought, Makoto has already helped him to his feet and has his arm slung over her shoulder.

The ceiling above them shatters, and Haru yells out for them in warning.

They’re going to die, she can’t let her friends die, _please, help-_

Her mask has faded away by now, the cognitive world and reality starting to mix and distorting her mind, but Lady Death leaps from behind her, blowing the chunk of rubble above her two friends into dust.

Makoto and Yusuke stare in shock for a few moments, but they start to run once again.

But Haru can’t leave Lady Death behind.

“Lady Death, come back!” she orders above the noise, but her Persona does not move.

 _“I suppose this is where we part ways, moya doch,”_ she whispers, yellow lights glancing back at her, _“I do not believe you can retrieve me. Your mask has been removed.”_

Her stomach drops.

No.

No.

 _No_.

“Lady Death!” she calls, but the Persona does not come. Instead, she blasts away another piece of rubble that nearly hits her in the head.

_“Get out!”_

Goro pulls on her arm, forcing her to run when she doesn’t want to, _let go, let me get her back, let me say goodbye-_

“Lady Death!”

Her final  yell goes unheard, and the last thing she sees before the world vanishes is Lady Death’s silhouette that disintegrates as the Palace falls apart around her.

She recalls what Lady Death said to her in that sea green place, that she represented the one that Haru desired to see the most.

And with that thought, Haru thinks of her mother.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 29_  
_Friday_  
_Evening  
Shūjin Academy_

 

The world comes back, and Makoto is aiding to Yusuke’s leg already.

They’re in the alleyway by the school, heaving for air and thankful that they’re alive.

“Do you still have the Treasure?” Makoto gasps out, and Goro reveals a gold medal from his pocket.

But, Haru isn’t exactly paying attention. She digs through her mind for any semblance of Lady Death, but the Persona’s presence is not felt.

“Haru, are you alright?” Yusuke asks from the ground, concern obvious.

“No,” she replies honestly, putting a hand to her temple. “I… S-She’s gone… I… I can’t sense her.”

“Who?”

“Lady Death.”

The silence is deafening as this information is processed.

“I c-can’t feel her presence, t-this shouldn’t happen, s-she should be there, w-where-“

“Haru-chan, it’s okay, you’ll be okay! Just be patient, she’ll be back! She-“

Haru scowls, glaring at Goro. “S-Shut up.”

They all stare at her for a few moments.

“Haru, it’s okay. She’ll be fine. You two are close, right?” Yusuke reasons with a reassuring smile.

It doesn’t work.

“I… I need to go home.”

They don’t stop her.

She needs to go to the Velvet Room, she needs to get there, but she doesn’t have time to go to Shibuya, she’s too tired to find Yuuki right now, she’s too scared of going there at night.

There are so many reasons she can’t go to Shibuya, but when she gets to the café, she can already hear a piano in the back of her mind.

And when her head hits the pillow, she can hear that operatic voice.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _“Igor!”_ Haru yells as she awakens in the Velvet Room, jumping to her feet and racing to the bars.

Yuuki is alarmed by her outburst, but it quickly changes back to annoyance. He snaps the baton against the bars as a sharp reminder.

Though, Igor is unfazed by her behavior, and simply hums in acknowledgement, folding its hands together at the desk.

“Welcome back, Trickster. I give you my congratulations for taking down this lustful creature,” it states, and her blood boils with annoyance.

“Where is she? _Where is my Persona?”_ she demands, and Yuuki glares at her for a few moments.

“Silence, inmate! My master has given you thanks! Be thankful!” he retaliates, his eyes ablaze with rage.

Haru doesn’t care, _she doesn’t care._

She’s so _angry,_ she can’t feel Lady Death’s calm anymore, she can’t ask her for help… She needs to find her, she needs to _get her back-_

“Where is she?” Haru asks, anger only slightly subdued so that she can at least hold a short conversation.

Igor, unperturbed still, sighs. “Humans are rather fascinating… To think you gained such a close bond with your Persona in such a short window of time…” it ponders, unclasping its hands and drumming its fingers on the desk. “You’re beginning to learn, Trickster. That is good… I will allow you to gain more bonds with the demonic forces within a person’s psyche as… consolation.”

And the world goes blank as Haru processes this.

Yuuki’s mouth thins into a firm line, silently staring at her.

He sighs, taking off his gloves and motioning for her to come closer to the bars.

“Come here, inmate. I will try to locate… _her_ , if… _she’s_ still there,” he orders, obviously confused by the pronouns being used.

Haru obeys, flinching back when his hands reach for her temples. The blank expression he gives her tells her that he won’t be doing anything serious, so she slowly returns to place her head against the bars.

He places his hands against her temples and closes his eyes.

The Velvet Room’s royal blue bursts with other colors, surging through the cell and into the center, rapidly flashing yellow, red, green, and going on until she can hear the voices of the other demons she has befriended – Succubus, Jack O’ Lantern, Genbu – but there is no calming voice in the background demanding for them to get back in line.

She stares into Yuuki’s eyes, and she can sense how he’s digging into her mind, and the Velvet Room momentarily is bathed in sea green, and a large mirror crystallizes over Igor’s head.

It vanishes as soon as it appears, and finally the Velvet Room returns to its normal royal blue.

Yuuki steps away from her, eyes wide, but then his face returns to a neutral expression. He puts his gloves back on with little fanfare, finally facing her again once said gloves are secure.

“Lady Death is absent from your cognitive plane. It- _she_ has been lost. While I am not sure what caused this, I am certain that she can simply be-“ Yuuki goes silent, eyebrows furrowing as he stares down at a book he has pulled from behind his back.

He flips between two of the pages, confusion only rising as he thumbs through the rest of it once again. “Master, are you certain that the compendium is accurate?” he asks, glancing back towards the creature, whose grin only widens.

“Of course, boy. Is there something the matter?”

Yuuki nods, silently going to the creature’s side to show it what he cannot find.

“There’s… what is… blank?” is all Haru can decipher from his whispering, to which Igor waves him off.

“Your Persona has been lost, Trickster. It cannot be reclaimed, not even through the compendium. It sacrificed itself to allow you and your allies to escape, yes?” it asks, and Haru slowly nods. It chuckles, resting its chin in one of its hands.

“Then it is gone for good. It was destroyed alongside the Palace.”

 _Gone_.

There’s the distant sound of a bell ringing.

_Gone._

Her vision goes dark as Yuuki says something about her needing to wake up.

_Gone._

She reaches out for the threads she may still have left, the hope she has held on to up until this point.

_Gone._

She calls for Lady Death, despite everything, her voice weak and helpless.

_Gone._

But there is no answer, because Igor is right.

_Lady Death is gone._

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _April 30_  
_Saturday_  
_Lunchtime  
Shūjin Academy_

 

Haru is numb. She has hardly spoken a word to Makoto or Yusuke so far, something she might be keeping up for right now.

Currently, she’s ignoring the concerned stare that Makoto is giving her, opting instead to walk to the lunchroom by herself.

She spots Yusuke, who’s making a beeline towards her as soon as he spots her.

Haru can’t help but scowl and divert her path away from the cafeteria. She could survive without lunch, even if she wouldn’t be able to concentrate during Ushimaru’s class.

Except then she sees that Makoto is walking towards her as well, and it’s at this moment that Haru can feel a wave of dread wash over her.

But, not everything in her life is out to get her, because Niijima appears from around the corner as they reach Haru, spots the three of them, and walks towards them.

“Good, the three of you are accounted for. I know I already told Makoto about this, but there won’t be a PE class today. You’ll get to have a Study Hall,” she explains, and a semblance of hope grows in her stomach.

Yusuke frowns and tilts his head. “Why’s that?”

Niijima huffs and sends him a look, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re not allowed to know that. All you may know is that Mr. Kamoshida is not here today, and for right now we may not be having PE class for a while.”

Haru feels a semblance of hope.

“As for the two of you and Togo, your expulsions are currently under review. Mr. Kamoshida will have the final say in it, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Haru nods in understanding, but Yusuke looks far more nervous.

He opens his mouth to say something, but she’s already leaving to get her lunch.

That day, she walks home by herself.

Iwai doesn’t say anything to her, but she spots Akira sitting at his usual seat.

He brightens when he sees her, waving and motioning for her to join him.

So, she does.

Somehow, they end up on the topic of family, though she’s a bit uncomfortable to talk about her relatives. Realizing this, Akira quickly tries to do some damage control.

_‘Sorry if I’m prodding, I’m just curious, I suppose. Your family must be rather interesting, seeing as you’re an Okumura.’_

Haru shrugs with a small smile. _‘It’s fine. What about you? You live with your teacher, but do you have any family members outside of that?’_

Akira sets his mouth in a thin line, hesitating as he tries to think of what to say.

_‘Well… not exactly… my mother and father passed away quite a long time ago, and…’_

Haru hesitantly pats his hand with a smile. _‘Sorry if it hurts to say… but, I need to ask… what about your brother? You mentioned one last week when Goro interrupted our conversation.’_

Akira’s face lights up, though it quickly fades when a memory seems to hit him. _‘Ah, yes, I had a brother.’_

_‘What was his name?’_

_‘Ren Kurusu. He was my twin.’_

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 1_  
_Sunday_  
_Morning  
Yongen-Jaya Train Station_

 

Haru doesn’t remember why she’s getting on the train, but it probably has to do with the fact that she can’t stand to talk to Goro right now.

She can’t right now, especially when his eyes are filled with so much _pity._

It’s… frustrating.

So, she uses her pass to take the train to Shibuya and manages to grab a seat.

Actually, when she glances around at her fellow passengers, she realizes that the train is rather empty.

Good.

She hates taking the subway in the morning, mainly because there are _so many people_ that need to get on.

Haru checks her phone, scowling at the sight of text messages from Yusuke and Makoto.

She’ll have to be with them tomorrow, but right now, she doesn’t really want to face them. Not right now.

She might punch them, who knows.

“Excuse me, Miss?” a small voice startles her out of her thoughts, and her head snaps up with a start. She gazes around for the owner of the voice, and finally her eyes land on a girl who must only be thirteen or fourteen.

She has light brown eyes that stare up at her. Her hair is pale blonde and long, ending near the center of her back, and a blue headband with a white rose keeps it out of her face.

She’s wearing a light blue dress with a white cardigan, along with a pair of white ballet slips.

Looking away from her for a moment, Haru can spot a couple in their thirties who resemble the young girl. The wife is a blonde with green eyes, while the husband has the same light brown eyes and blonde hair that the young girl has. A set of twins sit across from Haru and this new girl. Staring at the twins, she recognizes them as the girls she saw on her first day, the ones who had been wearing the Kosei uniforms.

Refocusing her attention on the blonde-haired girl, Haru clears her throat. “U-Um, yes? W-What is it?” she hazards, and the younger girl smiles brightly, taking out a checkered board and two wooden boxes from a messenger bag. Across the way she can hear one of the twins groan, burying her face in her hands.

“Are you kidding me, Lavenza? Forcing some stranger to play against you?” asks the girl, her voice muffled by her hands.

Though, the most curious part of it all is that she isn’t speaking in Japanese.

Rather, she’s using English.

“I’m sorry, Caroline, I can’t help it!” Lavenza replies, also in English.

“I, um…” Haru starts, digging through her mind’s library for her old English lessons and the years she spent slaving over the stupid language; at least she’s ahead in her current English class. “I d-don’t know how t-to play chess?”

Lavenza stares for a few moments, then flushes in realization. “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry! We’re new to Japan, and that’s how I like to introduce myself! It worked far better back in London, even if I got weird looks…” she trails off in Japanese.

Haru hums, tapping the chess board.

“I w-would like to learn, though…” she says, and Lavenza’s face lights up in an instant. She hurriedly takes out the pieces from the wooden boxes, scooting over a seat so the board takes its own for them to play on.

“I think we have about twenty minutes, so I won’t be able to teach you very much, but I believe I can at least explain the basics,” Lavenza eagerly rambles as she sets the board. Haru catches the girl’s parents watching the two of them with amusement.

The twins, meanwhile, are a different story. One of them is completely indifferent, choosing to stare out the window, while the other, Caroline, glares daggers at the two of them.

“This is all you ever do, Lavenza!” she complains, to which Lavenza shrugs with a smile.

“I think I’m alright, Caroline. I mean, I’m making a friend right now, aren’t I?” Lavenza replies with a chuckle as her younger sister makes a muffled scream of agitation.

“Justine, please, tell her she’s being dumb!” Caroline begs her twin, though said twin remains silent and immovable, too busy with staring out the aforementioned window.

Lavenza clears her throat, though it’s done very quietly, as to not be too rude about it. “Now, would you like to learn?”

Haru nods once more, and she spends the rest of the train ride learning how to play chess from a junior high student, something she never quite expected she would recognize.

As their train enters the Shibuya station, she helps Lavenza quickly pack up her things and smiles at the younger girl, who smiles right back.

“I know we hardly had any time to really do anything, but I would love to continue teaching you!” Lavenza chirps as they exit the train doors. Haru wanders with the family to their next station, which is to a district called Kanda.

She can’t really help it. She wants to keep talking.

“S-So, um, how did you g-get into chess?” she asks as they walk, and Lavenza thinks for a few moments.

“Ah, well, I suppose it was my mother and father. While my sisters have never been interested, especially not Caroline, I’ve always loved these strategy games! My father is actually going to teach me how to play shogi rather soon!” she explains, sighing. “It’s about time, I think. He has been meaning to, he just never got around to it.”

Haru smiles softly, the pure excitement and joy that emanates off of the younger girl being infectious.

When they reach the gate to the Kanda train, Lavenza stops, waiting until her family has gone through before turning back to Haru.

She sticks out her hand expectantly, and Haru finally takes it.

“I never got to formally introduce myself, but my name is Lavenza Shelley! I hope we can meet again soon!” Lavenza says, and Haru shakes it.

“I-I’m Haru Iwai. It w-was nice meeting you as well,” Haru replies, and a warm feeling overtakes her as Lavenza lets go of it with a goodbye and runs to catch up with her family.

But, as Lavenza and her family disappear down the stairs, she feels her stomach drop.

Something isn’t right.

Her instincts are screaming at her to follow, to make sure that…

_Make sure that what?_

Succubus and Jack O’ Lantern are screeching in her mind, and now she knows that something is _definitely_ wrong.

But she can’t do anything if she doesn’t know what she’s supposed to be stopping.

_Stopping?_

What is she doing?

_What does she need to do?_

None of her Personas know, they’re just stressed out and yelling a word she does not recognize.

_Mem… Mem…_

What are they saying?

She doesn’t know what they’re saying, and there’s no one there to shut them up.

She must look crazy, just staring at that staircase from the gate, and she can tell that the operator is getting uncomfortable as she lingers there.

The sound of a train leaving its station fills her ears and snaps her out of her trance.

Haru glances over towards the operator and smiles nervously. “S-Sorry, I was lost in t-thought…” she dismisses lamely and quickly walks off.

Though, that feeling in her stomach doesn’t disappear as she aimlessly walks through Shibuya, wasting her time as she goes anywhere but Untouchable, where she can sell the medal.

It doesn’t disappear as she boards the train back to Yongen-Jaya.

It especially doesn’t disappear when she gets a call from Iwai, asking if she’s alright.

“Y-Yes? Um, why are you asking?” she hazards, and that feeling in her stomach only gets worse as she realizes that something very, very bad has happened.

 _“One of my customers said that another subway train crashed today. Had to make sure that you were alright,”_  he explains, and she puts a hand over her mouth in horror.

“No…” she whispers, suddenly having a strong urge to throw up.

No.

_No._

_No!_

_“Yeah… I’m glad that you’re alright, though. Come back to the café as soon as you can, alright? I wanna make sure nothin’ else happens,”_ he says, and she chokes out some sort of response, but she hangs up before he can ask if she’s okay again.

She isn’t.

She isn’t okay.

She let that little girl and her family die.

Just like she let Lady Death die.

This is her fault.

Her fault.

_Her fault._

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 2_  
_Monday_  
_Morning  
Shūjin Academy – Gymnasium_

 

Haru didn’t exactly sleep very well the night before, but she nonetheless stands with Yusuke and Makoto as if nothing’s wrong.

“Do you really think it worked?” Makoto hazards, chewing on her bottom lip.

Yusuke shrugs, checking his phone.

They aren’t listening to Kobayakawa. It doesn’t matter, really. He’s talking about how important their lives are, how suicide is never the answer, how Shiho Suzui’s attempt was horrifying, and they’ll be taking measures to ensure that never happens again-

And then the gym’s doors fly open.

It’s Kamoshida.

“Mr. Kamoshida, what are you doing here?! You put yourself on suspension!” Kobayakawa squawks, and the man in question raises his head. There’s no fire in those eyes, the same arrogance that directed each and every one of his movements.

“I… have been reborn.”

“Holy shit,” Yusuke whispers in disbelief.

Futaba is standing on the stage with Principal Kobayakawa, having been planned to have her own speech, but those plans seem to have been thrown out the window at the sudden appearance of Kamoshida.

She stares up at Kamoshida as he approaches the microphone, uncertainty as she steps aside and motions for Kobayakawa to do the same.

And then, Kamoshida confesses.

“It worked,” Makoto whispers, and there’s a pause.

“I am the reason Shiho Suzui attempted suicide.”

The entire gymnasium roars to life with noise.

Looking around, Haru spots Hifumi staring at the floor with a distant look in her eye, seemingly unable to process what has happened.

But, through the haze, the noise escalates into screams, and Makoto gasps in horror.

Directing her attention back to the stage, Kamoshida has fallen to his knees and now brandishes a ceremonial knife.

Futaba leaps into action at that, and Haru is surprised that Kobayakawa doesn’t stop-

Oh, _okay._

Futaba obviously doesn’t need any help, because she somehow manages to overpower him and disarm him. She kicks the knife behind her without a second thought.

“Someone, call the police!” she shouts, but no one other than Niijima seems to take her seriously, too busy yelling insults and throwing paper at the disgraced teacher.

The Student Council President looks like she’s getting nervous, so Haru decides to step in.

“You have no right to end your life! Face the consequences for what you’ve done!” she yells over everyone else, and the entire gymnasium goes dead with silence.

And then Kamoshida apologizes to them, but when his eyes land on Makoto, there’s a shift.

He tries to apologize to her, but she takes a step forward.

 _“Go to hell,”_ Makoto bites out, and it sends shivers down both Yusuke and her own spine.

Shortly after, they’re kicked out of the gymnasium, and Haru decides to walk home by herself.

She needs time to process that they actually _did it,_ they beat Kamoshida, _they made him confess._

Most importantly, she won’t be expelled…

Neither will Yusuke nor Hifumi.

Distantly, she wonders if she should check on the latter. She hasn’t spoken to the girl ever since they were threatened with expulsion, but… not right now.

Next time she can, she’ll talk to the girl.

When she enters Dumas, Iwai picks up on her current mood.

“You don’t look so good. You alright?” he hazards, and Haru gives him a small, slightly reassuring smile.

“Yes, Boss… I just… d-don’t feel well right now…” she replies, and he grunts.

“Alright… Take care of yourself, got it?”

She nods without anything else to really say, and she resigns herself to her room. Goro… is nowhere to be seen. And, seeing as Iwai didn’t mention that the boy left…

That worries her.

Goro’s phone rests at her desk, charging like it does when he’s about to go to sleep.

She sighs to herself, sitting at the desk. He couldn’t have gone too far, especially not when he couldn’t even bear to leave Yongen-Jaya.

Haru looks through the things she has collected from the Metaverse and resigns herself to trying to make lockpicks for the next two or so hours.

Goro appears suddenly in the attic, startling her so badly she nearly ruins the lockpick she has been struggling with for the past fifteen minutes.

“Oh, sorry about that! How are you doing, Haru? Makoto and Yusuke notified me that Kamoshida confessed! That’s amazing!” he chirps, but Haru frowns.

“R-Right… Um, not the best, b-but I’m getting better… W-Where were you?”

A grin splits across Goro’s face, and he puts a finger over his mouth with a wink.

“It’s a secret!”

She rolls her eyes, refocusing her attention on the lockpick.

Thankfully, Goro finally helps her to complete it, patting her on the back when she finally finishes it.

“Great job! You might not think it, but you’re getting better at this!”

She rubs the back of her neck uncertainly, a small smile growing on her face at the praise.

When the time finally comes for them to go to bed, she plugs their phones in to their own chargers, she flicks on the space heater for Goro, places her glasses down on the desk, and falls asleep rather quickly, with the thoughts of Kamoshida’s confession actually happening… but at what cost to her?

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 2_  
_Monday_  
Morning  
_Shūjin Academy – Gymnasium_

 

“There are rumors that I have harassed and abused not only players, but students who tried to resist… These rumors are true. I took the power I was given and used it to hurt the students of this school. I tried to expel three students who fought back against this, and I apologize deeply for that. Their expulsions have been revoked. But, there is a far more important matter I must address.”

These words are all endless chatter, though Futaba doesn’t know how to deal with them. She knew this all, she had started an investigation without the principal’s permission.

“I am the reason Shiho Suzui attempted suicide.”

The world shatters, and Futaba stumbles without even realizing it.

No.

This couldn’t be happening.

She was _right,_ but she hadn’t done anything.

No, this… this had to be some prank.

Her eyes search the crowd of furious students as they all yell and shout insults at him, as bruised and bandaged volleyball players stand in shocked silence, unable to process that their abuse is going to finally be over, as their friends comfort them and sob with relief, as the teachers all demand order, and Principal Kobayakawa’s face turns red with anger.

"For these acts that I have committed, I hereby resign as P.E. teacher, revoke the expulsions against the students I mentioned, and... will now kill myself for my actions."

Mr. Kamoshida takes out a ceremonial knife and panic floods through her veins.

“Everyone, stand back!” she shouts, finally finding the feeling in her legs to start moving.

She thanks her father for training her with these sorts of things, and just barely manages to get the knife out of Mr. Kamoshida’s hands. She kicks it across the stage and holds his hands behind his back.

“Someone, call the police!” Futaba shouts over the chaos, sending a meaningful look towards Kobayakawa as students start throwing pieces of paper at the stage.

Through the hazy clouds of pure noise, the pandemonium that is going to trigger a complete meltdown in her any moment now, a voice rings above them all, and it makes her stop for a moment.

“You have no right to end your life! Face the consequences for what you’ve done!” Iwai shouts, and Futaba finally spots her in the back, standing with Kitagawa and Niijima.

The silence that comes over is deafening, and she has to readjust her grip as Mr. Kamoshida shifts underneath her. She can breathe again, though there’s still the threat of the noise coming back.

“Ophelia, Ophelia, Ophelia, Ophelia…” she mumbles to herself, taking deep breaths as she does so. She can do this, she just needs to concentrate on keeping Mr. Kamoshida restrained and bring herself down from this borderline meltdown. She absentmindedly chews on her lip as she mumbles, concentrated as she stares at the wooden planks of the stage and nothing else.

It helps to focus on that rather than the situation at hand. It gives her something to do, something to take her mind off of everything.

“Iwai, you have every right to be angry with me… And as for you, Yusuke, you suffered for standing up to me. And, Mako-chan…” Bile rises in Futaba’s throat. She gags, her grip loosening only a bit on Mr. Kamoshida.

Makoto Niijima’s eyes burn holes into Mr. Kamoshida’s head.

“Go to hell.”

Mr. Kamoshida sags in her grip, but Futaba steels herself to not react to the girl’s tone.

Shortly after, Principal Kobayakawa kicks everyone out, including herself.

She’s reluctant to let go of Mr. Kamoshida, but she relents when Ms. Niijima assures her that the police are on their way.

On her way back to the Student Council Room, she finds that she has to confiscate yet _another_ switchblade from a classmate of hers, avoid any and all upperclassmen that want to insult her, and has to ignore all of the spiteful glares she receives on her way there.

Entering the Student Council Room, she finally lets out a sigh, her entire body slumping against the door. Belatedly she realizes that she should lock the door as the first few students start pounding on it, demanding answers as to why she didn’t do anything.

She knows why she didn’t do anything, but she can’t admit that. She can’t show weakness, especially not right now.

The door locks with a click, and the noise outside only gets louder.

She has to stay calm.

_She has to stay calm._

_Stay calm._

“Ophelia, Ophelia, Ophelia, Ophelia…” she mumbles under her breath, running her fingers through her hair as the pressure starts building up.

She can’t have a meltdown right now, she really can’t. Principal Kobayakawa will undoubtedly want to talk with her about this, so she _has_ to wait, she _needs_ to wait.

She’s rocking a little bit, something that stresses her out even more, because she hates that feeling of not being steady.

 _Stop it,_ she thinks, switching off the lights and pulling down the blinds. The banging outside is louder than ever, and the cacophony of insults and chaos is filtering through.

 _Stop it,_ she repeats in her mind as she pushes the table aside, throwing the chairs across the room so they aren’t in the way. They’re insulting her appearance, her age, _everything,_ and she can’t do this, she _needs space._

“Stop it!” she finally shouts, and the voices outside go silent. Her body is shaking, and she lets out a small noise in distress.

She sits in the Student Council Room until her dad finally calls, saying that he’s on his way.

Principal Kobayakawa never comes to talk to her, and she’s thankful for that.

When she gets into her dad’s car, she has to get in the backseat.

Because sitting in the passenger seat, with a disarming and seemingly oblivious smile is Ann Takamaki, her blue eyes alight with curiosity as she watches Futaba enter the car without any sort of greeting.

“So, that teacher of yours…” Her dad trails off, and she shudders.

“He’s a monster.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 2_  
_Monday_  
_Morning  
Shūjin Academy – Gymnasium_

 

Near the back of the gymnasium stands a black-haired student who doesn’t seem to be paying attention. Instead, they’re only half-listening to what Kobayakawa has to say.

“What happened… your lives… we wish… best…” are all that really seem to reach the student’s ears as they instead type out a text to a family member.

_I’ll call when it’s over._

They grimace to themselves, huffing out a sigh in annoyance. With their phone away, they distantly wonder when this assembly will even be over. There had been no real end-time, just a clear starting time that, had their homeroom teacher _not_ been a hardass, they would most definitely be playing hooky right now.

They pull a bit at the hems of the black sweater they’re wearing. The sleeves are odd, going to their elbows before cutting off. With an unhappy sigh, they make sure that the yellow choker around their neck is secure, absently fidgeting with the tie in the back.

Everyone knew the rumors. No matter what eggs-for-brains had to say, it wasn’t genuine. They roll their eyes, finally crossing their arms over their chest.

But then, the doors to the auditorium fly open and there’s Kamoshida. He gets up on the stage and… admits to _everything?_

Their eyebrows raise in surprise. They didn’t see that coming.

The auditorium bursts with noise as the volleyball team and those students’ friends all throw insults at the man. Their eyes widen as he pulls out a ceremonial knife and the student council president has to restrain him.

The students digress into a state of pandemonium, and it quite honestly is overwhelming. They have no idea how the student council president is even managing to keep Kamoshida restrained while all of this is going on.

But, one voice rings clear through the noise.

The student glances back towards her.

“You have no right to end your life! Face the consequences for what you’ve done!” Haru Iwai yells, her normally soft and unassuming expression overtaken by a rage they had no idea she was capable of.

They knew the rumors about her, but… this was _Shūjin._ To be honest, she was harmless. They had seen her enough to know that. She had a stutter, for god’s sake. While it could just be a façade, they were good at seeing through those.

Kamoshida says something, but they’re too interested in how Makoto Niijima’s face is drawn back in a scowl.

“Go to hell.”

Her voice is ice cold, and they shudder at the venom that drenches her tone.

Kobayakawa kicks everyone out shortly after, and they’re left outside to call their parents.

They sigh as they punch in a phone number, taking a deep breath in preparation.

“Grandfather will not be pleased…” they mutter, eyes snapping to the right as a group of their classmates approach. One claps his hand on their shoulder, much to their annoyance.

“Hey, what do _you_ think Iwai did to Kamoshida? You think she was behind those notes around the school?” One asks, and they roll their eyes.

_“We’re sorry, but the person you are trying to reach is unavailable-“_

They hang up their phone and think. They remember seeing those “calling cards” plastered all over the P.E. announcement board, swearing that Kamoshida would pay for what he’d done.

Of course, they had moved on with their morning as if said cards didn’t exist. They remember the commotion that came up after they left, apparently stemming from the student council president ripping down one of the cards.

“You’d have to be an idiot to think that those notes were real. Kamoshida pissed off the wrong person, obviously. Just like you. Would you stop bothering me?” they reply bluntly, peeling their classmate’s hand off of their shoulder. “Whatever that “Phantom Thief” nonsense was, it was a prank.”

The one that had wrapped his arm around their shoulder scoffs and rejoins his friends.

“That’s what you get for talking to him. He’s a jackass. Thinks he’s on some damn high horse,” he growls, and they scowl.

“Watch what you say. You don’t want to embarrass yourself,” they reply, watching with some semblance of amusement as the boy whips back around.

“What did you say?”

They pull their switchblade from their pocket, smirking as the boy reels back as the blade clicks into place with a flick of the wrist.

“You heard me. Watch it.”

As the boys scramble away, they sense a pair of eyes on their neck.

Turning around, they see the student council president watching.

“…Why do you still have that on you? I thought I confiscated the last one…” she says as they hand over the switchblade before she has to ask.

They don’t want to be on the receiving end of one of her holds.

“And the one before, and the one before that. Sakura-san, I thought you of all people would figure out that I don’t _care._ My grandfather takes care of disciplinary actions. Shouldn’t you be caring about more important things anyways?” they reply, watching as her expression shifts into annoyance.

“If you don’t care, then why bother staying here? You have the money to drop out anyways, right?”

They shrug.

“Does it matter? I’m just doing what my grandfather wants. You would know a thing or two about that, right?”

She freezes at that, and they finally push past her.

“Good luck handling this whole mess, pres. You’ll need it.”

“Kuroneko-kun, wait,” she calls, though they continue walking. “I said stop!” They obey as a hand latches on to their shoulder, though for entirely different reasons than what she had intended. Habit forces them to whip around, catching her by surprise.

They glare back at her, and she flinches under the gaze of their bright blue eyes. “What,” they hiss out, “do you _want.”_

She opens her mouth to say something, but then shuts it.

“Nothing… nevermind. Just… try to stay out of trouble,” she mumbles out lamely, and they roll their eyes.

“Don’t bother. You know I’ll keep doing this anyways. Go bother someone else,” they snap, narrowing their eyes at her suddenly reserved disposition.

She coughs awkwardly into her hand and nods, walking away faster than would be considered “casual.”

What happened to that badass they had seen less than half an hour ago?

They glance around as their phone starts ringing, and they pick it up once they’ve determined that nobody else wants to bother them. It’s their grandfather who’s calling.

 _“Is this assembly of yours already over, Hyō?”_ Is what their grandfather starts with, and they remind themselves that they can roll their eyes. He can’t see them do so.

“Yes, grandfather,” they reply stiffly, and they hear a short laugh, as if they were telling a joke. But they’re not, because their name is Morgana, not Hyō, but they wouldn’t dare to correct him. To him, this is all but a joke.

 _“Is something the matter? Ah, yes, you prefer that_ other _name. Ah, no matter. Is there anything else you would like to be called?”_ he muses, and they resist the urge to snap at him.

“No, grandfather. That is all. I shall see you soon,” they respond, quickly hanging up before anything else can be said.

They tighten their grip on the cellphone, mouth set in a firm line as they keep their underlying emotions at bay for now.

They hum in acknowledgement as two of their grandfather’s men finally show up after fifteen minutes, and they remind themselves just how odd it looks for men in full suits and aviators to come and pick them up.

Though, they know that full sleeves of tattoos lie under the men’s suits, just like the man who’s driving the limo.

The only tattoo they can see is the head of a black cat on the backs of their necks, bright yellow eyes seeming to follow their every move.

Those eyes have always stared down at them...

From the moment they were taken in, they have been watched, and those eyes will continue to watch them until the day they die.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 2_  
_Monday_  
_Evening  
???_

 

The room is dimly lit, aside from the laptop that illuminates a boy’s face.

His left leg bounces as he rapidly types, his eyes flicking to the corner of his screen as a notification pops up.

Someone has entered the café, so he switches to the constant audio stream he has set up.

 _“You don’t look so good. You alright?”_ Mune’s voice filters through, and the boy tilts his head.

He knows about the girl, Haru, as well as the boy, the one she calls “Goro.” Just the other day, this “Goro” boy was talking to himself as if there was someone else in the room.

His leg stops bouncing for a few moments as he listens for Haru’s response.

 _“Yes, Boss… I just… d-don’t feel well right now…”_ she whispers, and he sighs to himself.

He rubs his eyes, ignoring just how tired he is as his left leg starts bouncing again – he’s bored, but Mune is at work, and he already dragged him away last week because he was _stupid_ and tried to go downstairs without his crutches, and _of course_ it went wrong, because-

He slams his hands on his desk to distract himself from these intrusive thoughts.

“Shut _up_ ,” he whispers, hand wandering down to his right leg.

Or a lack thereof.

He stares down at the stump for a few moments, expression blank, before he shakes his head vigorously and bonks the side of it with the heel of his palm.

“Focus, Ryuji, focus…” he mumbles, absently scratching his palms and chewing on his bottom lip. He clicks back to what he was working on and suddenly wonders why exactly he was bothering with this.

He never gets these projects of his done. There were probably hundreds of files to prove it.

With this thought in mind, he wants to find a way to distract himself again – he doesn't  _really_ need to get this done… this was just him indulging in something stupid. He was obsessing over it like he always did.

He saves the code he has already typed out and closes out of the program.

Ryuji silently stares at his incredibly disorganized desktop, chewing on his lip in contemplation.

“What should I do now?” he mumbles, but he already knows what he wants. Should he even bother with that?

He takes in a deep breath and slowly exhales, shaking out his heads and squeezing his eyes shut.

_Why do you even bother?_

His eyes snap open and he looks around.

_You’re a monster._

His jaw clenches, his mouth going dry.

_Stop wallowing in your self-pity._

He puts a hand to his head and gasps as an awful pain shoots through it.

_Be thankful that you were spared._

A strangled cry comes out as the pain travels down to his right leg.

He gasps for air, clutching the stump and for a split second he can wiggle his toes, he can bend his knee, he can-

And then it’s gone.

_You killed her._

“I know… I know I did…” he whispers, “Stop… stop forcing me to remember…”

With these thoughts in mind, he opens one of the folders on his desktop, left leg bouncing once again as his eyes flit between two of the subfolders, the only thing that was formally organized on here.

Finally, he decides on the first folder, clicking on the first video that shows up.

This usually works, he thinks.

Whenever he thinks of the negatives, of the mistakes he has made, the crimes he has committed against _her_ , he looks at the things she loved, the shows she watched before he was born.

A black screen that is interrupted by a blue ripple comes into view as the video begins. A red background fades in, and the name of the studio, comes into view. There’s a woman’s voice singing the show’s theme, and there are flashes of different pieces of content that he knows.

He sees the main characters, the mechas, even the smallest details, such as the name ADAM as it flashes across.

In this haven he has created for himself, he can appreciate what his mother has left behind, the few things she shared with him before her death.

But, Ryuji knows he doesn’t deserve her charity.

After all, he’s the reason she’s dead.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

Haru stands in the dining room of her old home, though she can recognize that it’s… some sort of dream.

There’s a distant beat of a synth somewhere, coming from another part of the house; she won’t lie to herself, she knows it’s the living room.

_“Don’t know how to take it, don’t know where to go! My resistance running low-”_

She steps forward, towards the sound of the music and swallows the lump in her throat.

Is this what she thinks it is?

She steps forward, flinching at the sound of wood creaking beneath her weight.

_“and every day the hold is getting tighter, and it troubles me so!”_

She stays in the dining room for a few moments longer, to wait for the refrain, something she knows by heart, and then there’s a soft voice, soothing and low, and Haru knows that she’s right.

“Under attack, I’m being taken. About to crack, defenses breaking. Won’t somebody please have a heart? Come and rescue me now, ‘cause I’m fallin’ apart,” sings that familiar voice, and she can hear the smile in it.

Haru finally walks from the dining room and hesitates at entrance to the living room.

“Mama, you don’t sound like the song!” a little girl whines, and there’s a laugh.

“Because I’m not singing the same notes as them, silly girl,” the familiar voice replies.

Haru’s heart clenches and she finally steps in, staring at the sight of her mother sitting with a much younger version of herself.

“I’m what’s called an alto, and there’s a part of the music that they have for me. It’s easier for me to sing,” her mother explains, and puts her hand up to her ear, as if to tell her daughter to listen. “Can you hear it? It’s harder to hear, but it’s there. But, it’s only for the refrain, the part that you know so well.”

Young Haru stares at her mother for a while before finally mimicking her, eyebrows furrowed together as she tries listening.

Her face lights up and she yells that she can hear it, and Haru smiles at the two.

Her mother’s eyes travel from her young daughter to the third person in the room, and there’s a noticeable shift in the air.

Young Haru finally notices her as well.

Their eyes bore into her, staring into her soul, it seems.

Her mother slowly approaches her, and the young Haru melts away with the rest of the living room.

“Mom,” she breathes, reaching out for her, but her mother’s form contorts as her hand nears.

“Haru…” her mother trails off, a mere whisper as her bones crack, growing and popping into place, contorting into a new form.

She steps back as her mother’s arm turns into a rifle, and her face turns into a skull, yellow lights blaring into her eyes.

 _“Unable to let go, are you? How unfortunate…”_ she laments, grabbing on to Haru’s arm with a skeletal hand, _“I thought you could do better without me.”_

It’s not said in an “I told you so” manner, rather, it’s sad.

_“Silly girl, you should have forgotten about me.”_

“I tried to,” Haru admits, choking on an unknown lump in her throat.

She looks into into Lady Death’s eyes now.

She had seen it in that sea green place, her mother’s face in the mirror as she spoke with her Persona.

Even now, if she squints hard enough, she can see her mother’s face, those brown eyes looking down at her with a soft smile.

Haru desired nothing more than to see her again, to get her back.

“But you’re pretty hard to forget, mama.”

She steps forward to touch Lady Death, but her hands can’t seem to grasp her.

She squints her eyes, trying to see the Persona’s face, but now it seems as though she’s unable to even discern what’s around her. She can’t see what she’s looking at anymore.

And when Haru wakes up, it is with a dawning sense of dread that she realizes that it was a dream. Just a dream.

There’s no special world for Haru to see her Persona one last time, but a dream built from what she has been thinking of, the things that weigh down on her chest, making it impossible to breath.

And with that realization, she puts a hand over her mouth to stifle a sob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Hanakotoba, the cactus flower represents lust and sexual attraction between two people. When you apply it to Kamoshida? Nasty! But, alternatively, with Kamoshida’s defeat, it represents the endurance of all things, even if it may be painful or difficult.
> 
> Anyways, welcome to the end of this godforsaken arc. With the introduction of like ten characters already, you may wonder where the hell I’m going from here. Not to worry. I have… Some idea. I wanted to thank everyone for staying with this fic for so long already, and I’m really excited to get started on Madarame’s arc.  
> Anyways, KAMOSHIDA’S FINALLY DOWN! GOD, THANK GOODNESS!  
> While this is normally where fics go to die, I want to continue with a strong start.
> 
> It was fun to write a little bit from Yusuke’s perspective. Especially with the chat names! Those were so fun to come up with! I actually have to thank the Discord server for giving me the idea for Goro’s chat name.
> 
> Fun fact, my school once had Mandarin Chinese as one of its available classes. I wanted to take it, but the year before my freshman year, they decided to get rid of it. So, I skipped taking a language for my first year of high school and finally decided on French. 
> 
> A big shout out to my editors. This monster of a chapter was 34 pages long in Google Docs, and that was without the weird spacing.
> 
> And... YO, MY DUDES! THE FINAL TWO THIEF SWAPS HAVE BEEN REVEALED! HELL YEAH!  
> Minor notes for right now, since I can't talk about them too much:  
> -Morgana will be using they/them pronouns  
> -Ryuji's right leg was amputated for... unknown reasons, at the moment. I wonder if anyone caught the reference to the show Ryuji was watching... It was a 90's anime, but that's the only clue I'll be giving. Just know that it's a real show, and it's kind of easy to guess if you know your anime.
> 
> Finally... yeah, Lady Death... she's gone, guys. Sorry about that.
> 
> If you want to yell at me for this chapter, or you just wanna hang out, this fic has a Discord!!! Check it out here: https://discord.gg/m2vnwTU
> 
> Until next time, I'll see you later!


	11. Zinnia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!  
>  **Minor trigger warnings for panic attacks.**  
>  With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

_???_  
_???_  
_???_  
_???_

 

“So, that’s how you did it? That’s… incredibly unlikely. Do you think I'm stupid?” Sojiro finally asks, and Haru rests her head in her hand.

“No, Sakura-san. I am telling you the truth…” she trails off, wincing when a sharp pain shoots through her head as her other Personas all screech in protest.

Sojiro huffs and grumbles something before finally saying, “Fine, have it your way… You didn’t have just one target, of course. It makes sense that Kamoshida would be a target, seeing as you went to Shūjin, but the next target doesn’t make as much sense.”

There’s a pause as Sojiro moves the first manila folder aside and takes out the next, displaying a picture of a rather sad-looking old man. There are more pictures of him, snapshots of his press conference, old photos from perhaps a decade ago, and…

She pauses as she stares at the picture of the man with two boys.

Two boys who look exactly alike.

The final item from the folder is the calling card, light purple and now far neater.

The logo for the Phantom Thieves is better-drawn now, more like the silhouette of a head in profile with a few daffodils wrapped around its neck and obscuring its face. The only discernible facial detail is a white eye with a black iris that stares straight at her.

“Your second target was the now-infamous artist, Ichiryusai Madarame. While I can understand that you would know him from his affiliation with your father, why did you ultimately choose to target him? Start from there, if you would,” Sojiro orders, and she looks up from the pictures.

“There was a span of time between our interactions with Kamoshida and those with Madarame. Our involvement with this man began with a call for help.”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 3_  
_Tuesday_  
_Early Morning_  
_Dumas Café_

 

Most of that morning is spent in solitude.

Goro had gotten sick of trying to get her out of bed, so he just kind of… stopped existing? She wasn’t sure. He had gone into the Metaverse, that much she knew for sure.

But _where_ had he gone? Not even she knew.

She’s just laying down and listening to the slow and moody voice of Marc Bolan, some British glam rock star that she recalls listening to back when she was younger, when her mother was still able to see her.

She has a relatively new pair of earbuds in, something she bought herself a few weeks before she left for Tokyo.

The only reason she can even understand what’s being said is because… Well, she’d rather not think about it. If anyone tries asking, she can just say that she’s studying.

Now, she’s just laying back on her bed and staring up at the old ceiling.

 _“John Lennon knows your name, and I’ve seen him…”_  The earbuds sing, and her head is suddenly filled with the moody sound of a guitar. Haru turns up the sound, and she smiles softly when she can no longer hear the outside noise.

She’s just in her own world, away from the chaos of everything. She distantly hears her other Personas urging for her to get up, but she ignores it. This is what she needs.

Just… some time to relax…

And to question her own existence as time slips away from her so easily.

The static of her mind is blocked out by the music, and with it she’s back in her living room with her mother, dancing to the melodies that crackle from the record player her mother obsessed over and proudly displayed in the old house.

Haru can see her now, a determined woman with bountiful curls in her hair and dark hazel eyes that never ceased to challenge whoever dared to cross her.

But then she remembers what took away that fire in her eyes, and she wilts against the bed.

She’s no longer seventeen, but eleven, and the sobs of a broken woman fill her mind. She can feel meticulously manicured nails digging into her arms to hold her as if she’ll vanish, and her shoulder feels wet from phantom tears that are no longer there.

Shaky hands card through her curls, and a soft voice whispers shattered promises that now coat the Okumura household’s floors with dreams that could never come to be and crystals of free will that were crushed beneath Kunikazu Okumura’s thick-soled shoes.

The house she had stood in was no longer home. Home had been taken to the institution, begging not to let them throw her away.

Home was the plethora of abridged lullabies by ABBA and Queen, of T. Rex’s and Fleetwood Mac’s reigns over the living room when her father was gone.

Home was how she picked up English, how she became fluent.

Home was gone, and she had no idea where it had gone. Even now, Haru doesn’t know if that home is alive or remotely sane, now that it has been in that sad place for so long.

It’s when she hears someone coming upstairs that she realizes that maybe she’s been doing this for too long. She half-expects Yusuke, Makoto, or both to be there with a large plethora of snacks and video games, but instead, it’s Iwai.

He’s saying something, but Haru can’t hear him over the music. As the song finally fades out and she waits for the next song to play, Iwai takes a few steps towards her with an unhappy grimace.

Then, the next song is playing, and she sighs. She knows the song by heart and is happy to know that even the bass is decipherable through the old recording.

 _“Well you’re dirty and sweet, Cadillac, don’t look back, girl, I love you. You’re dirty and sweet, aw yeah…”_  Marc sings, and she tiredly imitates the drums in the background.

Iwai tries to repeat himself, but she isn’t looking at him anymore.

 _“Get it on, bang a gong! Get it on!”_ the earbuds shout, and Iwai huffs in irritation. Finally, knowing that there’s no other way to really get through to her, he takes out her earbuds in a quick motion.

“Is there a problem?” She mumbles.

“You need to get up, kid. Unless you have a friend comin’ over, you need to get out and go somewhere. Hell, it’s Golden Week. Go out and do somethin’,” he replies, crossing his arms over his chest and turning over the toothpick in his mouth.

It’s like he’s eager for her to stop taking up space here.

“You hate me, don’t you?”

She sees Iwai’s shoulders slouch and his expression softens. He sighs and shakes his head in an almost frustrated manner.

“You… look, I don’t _hate you,_ kid,” he starts, tapping her leg so he can sit down with her. Reluctantly, she sits up and moves over.

She doesn’t look at him, instead opting to direct her attention towards the shelf, where that paperweight she shattered still rests; she really needs to get around to fixing that.

“What, uh… what’re ya listenin’ to, anyways?” Iwai says to break the silence, and it startles Haru.

Her expression must be a dead giveaway, because he huffs out a short laugh. _It’s weird to hear him laugh,_ she decides. Then again, they don’t exactly… talk to one another. She hasn’t even gone out for groceries, yet he still makes her breakfast, and occasionally even dinner when she needs it.

“So?” he asks, and Haru finally relents.

She hands him an earbud and helps him put it on. She leans towards him a bit and picks a new song.

The beginning is sudden, but then Marc Bolan’s voice comes through.

 _“Shady politician in my bed…”_ A guitar sounds off in the background, and she closes her eyes as she lets the sound envelope her.

Sitting here, she could hear her mother’s voice singing this song, teaching her the words so that she can apply her English lessons.

They sit like that for maybe fifteen minutes, but the band never changes; she belatedly realizes that this is her T. Rex playlist, something she made when she was ten years old and too obsessed to really care about any other band.

“I’m not a huge fan of glam rock, but… you don’t have that bad of taste, kid,” he admits, giving her back her other earbud and standing up. “Well, I gotta open up shop. You can stay here if you really want to, but… just don’t make too much noise… Actually, where’s the kid?”

Haru scans the attic and shrugs. “I-I think he went out b-before you came in…”

He mutters something under his breath but accepts this answer anyways.

When Iwai leaves to go downstairs, she can hear the bell ring as someone comes in.

Haru moves over to the desk and puts on her glasses, closing her eyes and pausing to listen to Iwai.

“Sorry, we’re closed right now. We’ll be opening up shortly, I pr- can you hear me?”

“No, I’m afraid I cannot. Is Haru here?”

Her head snaps towards the staircase with interest. She _knows_ that voice. Is Iwai unable to hear the voice? Judging by the pause, he’s thinking about something.

“Ah, I got it. You’re looking for Haru?” Iwai asks, and Haru stands from the bed.

“Yes, yes! I’m looking for Haru. Is she here?”

She walks towards the staircase, silently padding down until she gets to the first floor.

Of course, deep down she’s _really_ hoping it isn’t who she thinks it is, but there he is, standing in the middle of Dumas, carrying a royal blue tote bag that matches the rest of his outfit.

_She really does have the worst luck._

Two sets of eyes look towards her, and she gives them a small wave.

“Ah, Haru! There you are!” Yuuki chirps, and she can _hear_ how fake he is. It’s obnoxious.

Funny, she didn’t think he was capable of any emotions other than complete indifference or inextinguishable rage.

Iwai doesn’t react to his tone, which… really isn’t helping right now. Instead, he crosses his arms over his chest and motions for her to give an explanation, which is something she’s currently working on.

“I apologize, Iwai-san. Haru and I are old friends. I came here to spend some time with her, you see,” he explains with a stupid smile.

Iwai visibly hesitates with this explanation, and he glances over to Haru for confirmation.

“Are you really? Kid, do you know him?” When she nods in confirmation, he visibly relaxes. “And here I thought you had a stalker… Well, I can’t stop you, and you should really go out, since you’re on break and all. Get outta here, will you?”

Haru nods, but she runs back upstairs to change into her street clothes.

While digging through her suitcases, her eye catches on an old t-shirt she packed just so her father wouldn’t throw it away while she was gone.

It’s a white shirt with a black hemming on the sleeves, collar, and bottom of the shirt. It’s old, something she made about seven years ago.

She was ten years old, the same age she was when she made her playlist for her then-favorite band. She had painted on the shirt to spell out “T. REX” in a bright red.

Now that she thinks about it, this was actually her mother’s shirt…

It can fit her. It fits her perfectly, and she clutches onto it for a few moments, staring at the messy lettering that went sideways, leaving the center and left side of the shirt completely blank.

Haru sighs, shoving the shirt back in to the suitcase and searches for something warmer.

She chooses a sweater and long skirt, something she knows is warm enough, but not _too_ warm.

She sighs and changes, nearly losing her glasses as she pulls the sweater on.

Yuuki is patiently waiting for her at the bottom of the staircase, and she puts on the nicest smile she can manage.

“S-See you, Boss… I-I’ll, um, try to be back before the e-evening,” she says as she walks out the door, but the man just grunts in acknowledgement.

The moment they’re far enough away from the café and out of view of others, she turns to face Yuuki.

“What… what are you doing here? A-And how c-can Boss not hear you?” she demands, and Yuuki’s expression shifts to a more familiar position, which is that of complete indifference.

Though, something is very off. She can see that he’s _trying_ not to let off any indications of any emotions. While she has become accustomed to his inconsistent mood swings, she knew that when one side of him was acting around, there was no indication of any other emotions.

When he was indifferent and monotone, he stayed that way.

When he was pissed off and short-tempered, he stayed that way.

So, _why_ was he suddenly showing something else?

“I am on a short break, inmate, much like yourself. As for your second question, no one other than yourself and those who hold the Metaverse Navigator are able to hear me. For those who do not have a Persona, I am merely making hand gestures, something you refer to as ‘sign language,” he explains.

He shifts on his feet when she stares for longer than she should, and his face twists with annoyance when she finally looks away without a word.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?! No acknowledgement of how strange this entire situation is? I am technically formed by your cognition. Therefore, I do know at least _some_ things about you.”

She looks back at Yuuki, stares at his blue and black outfit that _definitely_ could be mistaken for some sort of cosplay if he weren’t careful. His eyes are still yellow, but if she concentrates, she can see how it appears brown in the sunlight.

The most startling aspect of his appearance, however, is his hair.

“Since w-when were t-the tips of your hair white…” she trails off, and the boy in question’s face turns red with embarrassment, clenching his teeth and diverting his gaze.

“Why in the world are you looking at my _hair_ , Inmate?!” he demands, yet he orders her to give him her phone, so he can check his reflection.

He lets out a surprised noise when he sees the white tips to his dark blue hair.

As far as Haru knew, those hadn’t been there before.

Yuuki is as confused as she is, perhaps even more so.

“Ugh… this makes no sense… But, either way! Inmate, you are going to show me around somewhere! Show me your human world!”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 3_  
_Tuesday_  
_Lunchtime_  
_Shibuya_

 

“What about this, Futaba-chan? Do you think it would like nice on me?” Takamaki’s question catches the girl in question’s attention, and she finds that the blonde is holding up a light cream-colored peacoat, the same style as the red one she wears now.

Futaba raises a brow, avoiding the girl’s eyes when her smile somehow becomes brighter.

“It’s the same as the one you’re wearing, Takamaki-san. It’s just a different color…” she trails off.

Takamaki considers this, though she seems unperturbed and decides to buy it anyway. Ann doesn’t wear a scarf today, as she so usually loves to do.

Instead, she has a white button-up with a black tie that’s decorated by white decals. It’s tied in a fancy knot, something she had called an “Eldredge knot,” as if Futaba knew what the hell that meant.

“I still don’t understand why you’re so insistent on spending time with me, Takamaki-san…” Futaba mutters, eyeing the blonde in suspicion as she laughs and jumping away from the girl when she tries patting Futaba’s back.

While Takamaki doesn’t expect this, she shrugs it off and motions for Futaba to follow her into the next store.

“I would like to consider you my friend, Futaba-chan. I know that your father isn’t very keen on us interacting with one another, but these things are bound to happen either way,” Takamaki explains, excitedly pointing out shirts thatshe thinks would be _perfect_ for Futaba.

“I’m not exactly thrilled about that part of this whole trip,” Futaba grumbles, glaring at the girl as she disregards that statement and acts as if she has said nothing. “My dad should know where I am, and… I really, really hate shopping.”

Takamaki tilts her head in curiosity, blue eyes staring into brown as she silently processes those words.

“Well, then what _do_ you like?”

It startles Futaba just how genuine the question is. She swallows the lump in her throat and shrugs. Her face is warm as she tries to find some way to get out of answering.

She could talk for days on end about all the manga and American comic books she has read and video games she played before her mom went into a coma. She still plays them to this day because she loves the messages behind some of them.

But, it would be childish to do so. She’s supposed to be the Student Council President, for heaven’s sake! She can’t like such silly things!

It would only serve to invalidate all of her hard work to prove the upperclassmen wrong.

Takamaki waits patiently, not minding how Futaba hesitates.

“Futaba-chan, it’s alright if you don’t want to answer. I just want to know so we could do something _you_ like. I can tell you aren’t the biggest fan of shopping for clothes,” she explains, waving a hand dismissively, “I mean, I don’t blame you. Growing up with Sakura-san, you probably didn’t get to do many girly things.”

Something equivalent to annoyance sprouts in Futaba’s stomach, and it twists as she glares at Takamaki.

“It isn’t that. I just don’t like shopping. I never have. There’s too many people that I don’t know,” she snaps, fiddling with her braid.

Takamaki studies Futaba, and for a moment, her usually cheerful expression is gone. Instead, it’s replaced by a thoughtful look, one that processes her words.

Futaba doesn’t know why, but it sends a chill down her spine.

But just as soon as it is plastered on her face, it’s ripped off as she smiles once again.

“Ah, I see! My mistake, then. So, you’re probably more of a tomboy then? I’m simply making assumptions, but you like American comic books and video games, right? I noticed that your wallet had a few superheroes on it,” Takamaki concludes, tucking a few strands of hair out of her face.

Futaba’s face flushes and she averts her gaze in embarrassment.

“It’s alright, Futaba. Lots of people love manga! I know I did, when I was younger. And, seeing as you’re so young, it makes sense!”

Futaba freezes, glancing to see that Takamaki appears to be amused by how she’s reacting.

_Who is this girl?_

“If you would like, I know of a bookstore nearby! If you don’t have enough, I believe my salary should be sufficient enough,” she assures, but that bright tone in her voice is gone, vaguely mocking as she does so.

Futaba scowls.

“ _I_ should have enough, Takamaki,” she grumbles, crossing her arms, “but what about you? Don’t you live by yourself?”

Takamaki chuckles and waves her off. “Ah, you’ve got me there, Futaba-chan. But, there is no need to worry. Someone else pays for my apartment, as well as the classes I take at the university.”

 _That_ catches Futaba’s attention.

“University?”

“Oh, you didn’t know? I skipped a few grades and graduated from Kosei about two years ago,” she explains with a strange sense of casualness, something that she _shouldn’t_ say with such a tone.

Futaba’s only fourteen and she’s a first year, but Takamaki, who’s _seventeen,_ will be finishing her university education at the same time that Futaba will graduate from high school.

“No need to look so surprised, you know. I was a young child when I went to high school, yes, but it’s because I worked so hard to do so,” Takamaki mutters, and her eyes are focused on Futaba’s expression, how it subtly changes as she tries to keep a façade up.

“-I s-still don’t know w-why you want to c-come here…”

Futaba’s head raises at the familiar voice, eager to escape from this conversation, but she retreats when she realizes  _why_ it’s so familiar.

Because it’s Haru Iwai.

Though, when Futaba peeks around the corner, expecting to see either Niijima or Kitagawa, she finds neither.

Instead, it’s a boy she has never seen before, signing in earnest as Iwai watches him out of the corner of her eye.

“I’m a-aware, but t-then you insisted on c-coming here,” she replies, now not even looking at the boy as he signs something in reply.

Iwai sighs, pointing out a button-up for him. He frowns at and inspects himself.

Futaba has to put a hand over her mouth to not scream as Takamaki is suddenly at her side, watching as well.

Though, she’s studying the boy with Iwai, blue eyes trained solely on him as he signs something with a scowl. Futaba doesn’t understand why Takamaki does so, but she doesn’t want to butt in.

“Don’t b-be like that… I-I thought it looked nice…” Iwai mumbles, catching the boy’s wrist when he raises a hand to slap her on the shoulder. “Quit it.”

Now that Futaba is actually looking at the boy (since Takamaki can’t take her eyes off of him), she realizes that he’s wearing what looks like… well, what the heck does she call that?

He appears to be cosplaying some sort of warden character, though he wears nothing but royal blue and black. His hair is strange, a dark blue with white tips that make Futaba curious as to why exactly it looks like that. Perhaps he bleached and dyed it?

Then again, she has been told that Kitagawa’s original hair color was dark blue, somehow…

He makes no sense.

That entire _group_ doesn’t make sense, actually.

The boy signs something to her, and Iwai glances from him to the two of them.

Futaba jumps in surprise.

Takamaki, meanwhile, remains unfazed.

“Good catch, I-I didn’t even n-notice…” Iwai mumbles, adjusting her glasses and approaching them.

Futaba crosses her arms over her chest, and Takamaki senses her unease. The blonde casually slides in front of Futaba.

“Good afternoon! Is there something you need?” she asks cheerfully. Iwai raises a brow. The boy who was with her stays a few feet back with an indifferent expression, a far cry from his formerly annoyed disposition.

Iwai shakes her head, studying Takamaki for a few moments, and the blonde does the same, though with that disarming smile.

“N-No, I apologize… I k-know Sakura-san from school. I s-saw that she was rather anxious yesterday, and was wondering if she was a-alright,” Iwai explains, scratching the inside of her hands idly.

Takamaki tilts her head in thought, humming idly as she does so. “Interesting. You must be Haru Iwai, the newest student at Shūjin Academy, yes?”

Iwai nods, though she visibly appears on edge. Glancing towards Futaba, she raises a brow silently.

“Then you must be the delinquent that has been terrorizing the teachers, yes? Futaba-chan has told me how you like to break rules and hang out on the rooftop. What triggered this? Could it be your record that she has mentioned?”

Iwai frowns, flinching back with the final question.

“Um, well…”

There is a long pause, longer than should be normal, and suddenly a sharp clap rings through the air.

They all look towards the boy that Iwai left behind, his expression indignant as he signs.

“Right… ah, sorry…” Iwai mumbles out, but Takamaki takes a step towards the both of them.

“You know, Haru-chan, I don’t know if what Futaba said was right… You seem scared of me…”

Iwai grimaces, shifting on her feet nervously and backing away. “I, ah, didn’t mean to intrude? You… obviously a-are rather busy…”

Takamaki chuckles, waving her off. “No need to be so avoidant, Haru-chan! Are you alright?”

Iwai gives a small nod, but then realizes something.

“Aren’t y-you Ann Takamaki? The one f-from tv?”

Takamaki flushes, though Futaba knows that it… isn’t _really_ genuine. Because as soon as some stranger walks away after an interaction like this, Takamaki reverts to her excitable nature in a snap.

She isn’t flustered, she’s just putting up an act.

“Oh, yes! Are you a fan of mine? I’m not used to being recognized in public! Oh, I’m so embarrassed! I don’t even look the best I can be!” she rambles, fluffing out her hair and tucking it behind her ears.

Iwai watches in absolute bewilderment, turning her head towards the strange boy, mouthing words that must be along the lines of ‘what the hell?’

The boy rolls his eyes, tugging on her wrist. He signs something to her, and Takamaki stops in her rambling.

“I’m so sorry! I was babbling, wasn’t I? Well, I apologize for that. I know I tend to go on tangents, it’s just so incredible to meet a fan!”

Iwai grimaces, scratching her palms and then the back of her neck.

“R…Right… Well s-see you at school, Sakura-san,” she mutters with a small wave. The boy takes ahold of her hand and drags her out of the store shortly after.

Futaba numbly nods, staring dumbfounded at Ann, who lets out a sigh and turns to face her with a grin. “There! She’s gone, so you won’t have to worry about her for now!”

Futaba shrugs, tucking a few strands of hair out of her face. “I… didn’t exactly need you to do that? Iwai is… not bad, at least she doesn’t seem to be. Other than the rooftop stuff, she’s a pretty quiet person. She’s harmless, I would say…”

Ann hums in acknowledgement, but it sounds sarcastic to Futaba’s ears. Her response also sounds sarcastic as she says, “Right, of course. Anyways, let’s go to that bookstore, yes?”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 3_  
_Tuesday_  
_Lunchtime_  
_Shibuya_

 

“I cannot believe you, Inmate! You let her talk to you like that, and you didn’t talk back! You have far more nerve when you are in the Velvet Room,” Yuuki grumbles, yellow eyes shifting from her to an alleyway.

Ah, that’s the one where Untouchable is-

“I would like to see the shop you seem so interested in, Inmate. Judging by how you leave it, you appear to have some sort of connection to the inside of it. And, in any case, you still have the… ‘Treasure’ from Asmodeus’s palace, correct?”

“Asmodeus?”

Yuuki stares at her for a few moments in confused silence. She has a sinking feeling that this answer is obvious, yet it still remains unknown to her.

“Yes, Asmodeus, as in-“ he cuts himself off as he caught sight of _something_ , and suddenly he’s unable to speak.

Haru follows his gaze, but there’s… nothing there. They’re in the middle of Shibuya, and he’s staring off into space.

He suddenly snaps back to attention and gasps for air, putting a hand to his head.

“What was that? Inmate, what was that?!” he demands, yellow eyes alight with confusion and panic.

“I don’t know… A-Are you alright, Yuuki?” she hazards, hands moving to check if he’s alright, but he bats her hands away.

“Don’t touch me! I…” he pauses, removing his hands from his head and staring around at Shibuya, “I feel as though I know this place… far better than I thought I did…”

When Haru sees Yuuki’s expression, she realizes how confused yet _intrigued_ he is by this prospect – though, it does nothing to explain to Haru _why_ he believes this.

“Quit looking at me in such a dumbfounded manner. It’s embarrassing!” he snaps.

Ah, there’s the Yuuki she knows.

“C-Come on, then…” she mumbles, tapping his hand (which he retracts with a startled expression) and pointing down the alleyway.

The cell door to the Velvet Room is absent, peculiarly. Yuuki doesn’t really pay it mind, though she does notice his quick glance towards the empty space.

“Due to the absence of an attendant, the existence of the doorway is null. When I return to my duty, it will reappear until I deem it fit to take a break once more,” he explains as they walk. She slowly nods, walking ahead of him so she can enter the store first.

Tae is sitting behind the counter as usual, though she jumps to attention when the bell chimes.

Her shoulders slump in relief when she realizes that it’s _just_ Haru, though she tenses at the sight of Yuuki coming in behind her.

“Welcome back, kid… who’s the cosplayer?” she greets with a raised brow.

Haru gives a nervous smile and scratches the back of her neck, struggling to find some sort of excuse (a constant in her life, it seems).

“This is… Yuuki… Old f-friend of mine…” she tries, gesturing vaguely.

Tae stands up and leans forward, getting a closer look at Yuuki’s face.

“She smells awful, Inmate. I can barely breathe!” Yuuki complains, taking a step back and coughing.

Haru quickly sends an apologetic look to the woman, stepping forward. “Sorry, h-he’s rather jumpy.”

Tae rolls her eyes and lights a cigarette, taking a long drag and then breathing it out.

“I don’t blame him. I probably reek of smoke,” she amends. She waves her cigarette vaguely towards Haru’s bag with a raised brow. “You have anymore weird shit to sell me? I _did_ find a buyer, but they were shady as hell. You’d better be thankful, you know.”

Haru nods in understanding, taking the medal from her bag and handing it to her.

The reaction she receives is almost comical; Tae’s eyes seem to bug out at the mere sight of it, and her thumb runs over the smooth metal with silent awe.

“How… the actual shit did you find something like this?” she demands quietly, and Haru chuckles nervously.

“G-Geocaching.”

Haru inwardly winces at the poor excuse.

Tae blinks.

“The hell is a geocache.”

“A-Ah, well, it’s sort of like… treasure hunting?” she tries, and Yuuki rolls his eyes with a scoff.

“You did a bit more than just ‘treasure hunting,’ Inmate.”

Haru chooses to ignore him, shuffling her feet as Tae accepts this answer and stares at the medal for a few more moments.

“I… I guess I won’t ask. But, listen, this thing? It’s worth over thirty thousand yen. You sure you can handle that much money?”

Haru thinks about her semi-weekly allowance.

“Definitely.”

Tae rolls her eyes and hands over the yen, placing the medal in its own box and standing to move it to the back. Haru stashes the money away with a sigh, glancing over at Yuuki.

He isn’t looking at her, instead opting to stare at the door with a fake indifference that she’s starting to catch on to.

“It seems that a few people will be coming in, and they do not seem to be very pleased,” he drones, and Haru silently thanks him.

And, just as he said, a few men in suits file through Untouchable’s doors, and a child walks in with them.

The child looks to be maybe two years younger, at least fourteen or fifteen years old, and they have bright blue eyes that settle on Tae as soon as they step in.

“Tae Takemi, yes?” they ask, and the woman in question whips around to face the men and the child.

Her mouth straightens into a firm line, and she fully turns to face them. Slowly she grabs a paper bag from under the table and hands it to Haru, meeting her eyes as she does so.

“Yeah, that’s me. What can I do for you?” Tae asks cautiously, waving dismissively at the two of them.

She wants to refuse the bag, but it’s obviously something important, something she wouldn’t dare to let go of. It must mean a lot if she’s trusting Haru with this. Hell, Haru hardly knows her.

“Hey, and remember not to look at that until you get home, got it? I don’t need people calling the cops on you or something,” Tae calls.

Haru quietly nods and puts the package away in her bag. Though, one of the men in suits block the doorway, something that Yuuki _really_ doesn’t take well.

“Idiots… if only they knew who I served! They would be dead where they stand if my master were here!” he fumes, grabbing the suited man’s shoulders and forcefully pulling him away.

It surprises Haru by how strong the boy actually is as he succeeds in doing so.

Evidently, it surprises just about every other person in the room.

“Fucking Christ, what the shit?” the kid mutters under their breath, motioning for the man to move with a flick of the wrist. “Get out of their way.”

And as the two of them leave, Haru glances over her shoulder as the kid leans against the counter, pulling out a switchblade.

But Yuuki pulls her forward until they arrive at the space where the door to the Velvet Room usually is.

“She will be fine, as long as she does not do anything idiotic. I know that you are worried, Inmate, but it is meaningless. Your world is always moving, always changing. She seems to have a level-headed nature. If my intuition was incorrect, then there will be someone else to replace her anyways. This place in the back alley will be replaced by another suspicious shop owner, and the cycle will continue,” Yuuki drones, pulling his hat from thin air and securing it to his head.

It makes Haru’s blood boil at the indifference he has towards the situation, but part of her recognizes the genuine nature of his tone, of how he almost _empathizes_ with her.

“A-Anything else you need to tell me?” she grits out, something that Yuuki rolls his eyes, as if it amuses him.

“Do not try to sass me, Inmate. It will not end well for you. In any case, I must talk to you about your confidants, the ones that will help you towards your rehabilitation…” he snaps his fingers, and the outlines of the cards appear in his cupped hands.

“Do not forget that your confidants exist. I am aware that you have been avoiding them following the… destruction of your first Persona. Heed my advice, Inmate: confidants are meant to help, not hinder. Ignoring them will only lead you down a path of self-destruction. The Magician, Lovers, and Chariot are all important, but the Hierophant is also important to regard. He will ensure you stay safe within that café,” Yuuki explains softly, a fourth card appearing now to show a man in papal robes.

She tilts her head in confusion, though Yuuki promptly claps his hands together to make the cards disappear. He adjusts his tie and makes sure that the rest of his outfit is in order. He sighs.

“I… enjoyed my time, Inmate. While we practically did nothing, I did learn more about your world. I believe it was beneficial, and for that you have my… gratitude? No, definitely not that…” Yuuki trails, tapping his foot on the ground with furrowed brows as he thinks.

When he wasn’t angry or robotic, he was actually sort of charming; not in the romantic sense, of course, but rather in a more “she wanted to be his friend” sort of way.

“W-Well, if it counts… I believe I e-enjoyed it as well.” Yuuki looks up from his pondering and blushes lightly, something he quickly covers by slapping his gloved hands over his cheeks. She pulls out her phone and snaps a quick picture, something he doesn’t catch.

“Right! T-Thank you, Inmate! I’ll be going now! Stay out of trouble, or whatever that braid-haired girl may tell you!” he replies hastily, kicking the air and subsequently blowing a hole in reality.

It smooths out to form a doorway, one that Yuuki jumps through without a second thought.

What a strange kid.

Looking down at her phone, her eyes widen as she checks the photo she had taken.

Yuuki’s entire face is blotted out by static.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~~

 

 _May 4_  
_Wednesday_  
_Daytime  
Dumas Café_

 

Haru is washing the dishes behind the counter when the bell rings.

She had promised Iwai she would help out around the café, something that felt logical, seeing as she was essentially freeloading.

He had insisted that she didn’t need to, but then Haru had taken an apron and gently demanded that he taught her how to help.

She wanted to do this because… she needed to start differentiating between things she wanted and things that she did because others told her so.

Working was something she wanted to do. She didn’t want money (she had enough as it was), she just wanted to feel useful.

So, when the door’s bell chimes and Iwai greets the visitor, she stops abruptly as the visitor, with a voice she knows only vaguely, speaks.

“Um… does Haru Iwai live here? I, ah, need to speak with her… It’s okay if she isn’t, I just needed to talk to her about something school-related, and…”

It’s Hifumi Togo.

Haru dries off her hands with a towel and pokes her head out from the back, watching as Iwai hums with a nod.

“Yeah, she’s in the ba- oh. She’s right there.” He steps aside so that Haru can meet Hifumi on the other side, tilting her head as she unties her apron.

“Did you n-need something, Togo-san?” Hifumi shuffles nervously, twisting her hair and avoiding eye contact.

“Ah, um, yes, but… can we please talk in private?” she affirms with a timid nod.

After a moment of hesitation, Haru quietly motions for Hifumi to follow her upstairs. Before they reach the top however, Haru stops Hifumi so she can make sure Goro is either not here or can pull on his hoodie if he is.

She finds that Goro has still not returned, something that mildly worries her. She hasn’t seen him since yesterday morning, though perhaps he doesn’t even realize that he has been gone for very long.

Haru finally allows Hifumi to enter the attic, leading her over to her bed so they can sit. Hifumi casts a questioning glance towards the couch with its blankets in disarray and a few ruffled pillows.

“…A f-friend lives with me… he d-doesn’t go to Shūjin,” she finishes before Hifumi can make a guess, because she would be incorrect no matter what.

Hifumi gives an apologetic smile and nods, finally sitting down on the bed next to Haru.

“I… I just wanted to apologize for everything. I leaked your record and ruined any chance you would’ve had at making a new life at Shūjin… I should’ve known he was lying, but I _didn’t,_ and now your life is ruined and I’m _still here-“_

Hifumi abruptly stops in the middle of her rambling, something that Haru appreciates that she doesn’t have to do. It seems as though Hifumi knows that she’s babbling.

“But… someone recently told me that I shouldn’t be blaming myself. I’ve taken that as taking charge of things and making a change! Which is why…” Hifumi excitedly whips out her phone and types something into her search history, and Haru blinks a few times as the phone is shoved in her face.

It’s a whole lot of purple that her eyes are assaulted by, but then Haru registers that it’s a light purple that has black and white boxes for forum posts…

It’s a forum for them.

Hifumi based the design of it entirely off of Yusuke’s calling card, and her heart warms for a moment, but then the suspicion takes over.

“Why… w-why exactly are you showing me this? I-It’s very nice, but… t-those thieves were fake, right?” Haru asks carefully, adjusting her glasses as she scrolls down through the posts that have already been made.

She winces at the sight of people making fun of the concept of it all, but Hifumi interrupts these thoughts with a statement that makes her stomach drop.

“Because I know you’re one of the Phantom Thieves, Iwai-san.”

It takes her a few moments to collect her thoughts, too busy trying not to have a panic attack right then and there.

“W-Why w-would you say that? I-I mean, it’s fake. This thief thing was all fake, r-right? Kamoshida w-was blackmailed or s-something,” Haru quickly replies, standing up from the bed and taking a few steps away.

Hifumi doesn’t move, instead watching Haru’s grip on the phone.

“Be careful, Iwai-san… I don’t think my parents would be happy with me breaking another phone so soon… but, um, the whole thing with the thieves? Well, I guess I just had a gut feeling…” Hifumi trails off with that nervous smile, something that Haru can’t understand.

How is she suddenly so _nervous_ , when she has the nerve to accuse Haru like this?

She wasn’t _wrong,_ but Haru still felt offended.

But, there really wasn’t any other way to get around it.

“You’re right… but y-you can’t tell _anyone,_ understand?” Hifumi gives her an affirmative, and there’s a noticeable rise in the girl’s energy as she patted the spot next to her.

She makes a grabbing motion, one that Haru satisfies by handing her phone back.

“Thanks, and no worries! I completely understand. The police are probably unsettled by the thought that vigilantes are running around and exacting justice, right? This entire situation is huge, y’know?” Hifumi rambles with excitement, tapping out of the forum topic that Haru had glanced at, showing her a poll.

“I asked, “Do you believe in the Phantom Thieves?” and I’ve already gotten a few responses!”

It’s a mere 5.7% of people who are on their side, but…

“R-right… Uh, was t-there any other reason you made this site?”

Hifumi nods, finally tapping on a forum and quickly scrolling until she finds a specific post.

“You need more targets, right? Well, there are people out there who are making requests for you guys to help them! Some of them aren’t the best, like hard teachers or strict parents, but I think I’ve found your next target!” she explains excitedly, shoving the phone into Haru’s hands once again.

She reads the post, a young woman who is apparently suffering from having a stalker, someone who is actively blackmailing her and rapidly ruining her life.

Though, the name of the man is something that catches her interest immediately.

_Ren Amamiya._

“Well? Can you do it?” Hifumi asks hopefully, leaning in to get a better look at her phone.

Haru hesitates, slowly handing the phone back to the girl before sighing. “Yes, most likely. I-I’ll have to ask t-the others…”

Hifumi beams, taking her phone and letting out an excited squeal.

“Yes! Thank you, Iwai-san! Really! I want to help you, and I truly believe that this will help you!” she assures, and after a few more minutes (including exchanging each other’s numbers), Hifumi leaves and Haru returns downstairs to work.

And before the day is over, a middle-aged man in a suit walks in to talk about the mental shutdowns, practically telling her and Iwai that he’s working on the case.

Finally, Goro returns that night with a goofy grin on his face and refusing to tell her where he has been once again.

Haru finally decides to check her phone, something she hasn’t done in forever.

 

 _Yusuke: So basically, he was stolen. He’s just gone, my dudes.  
_ _Yusuke: They’re just too much of cowards to report it._

_Makoto ☾: How did they manage to drag an animatronic down from so high up?_

_Yusuke: Makoto, I have no fucking idea.  
_ _Yusuke: He was connected to a few hydraulic pumps and those were cut up._

_Makoto ☾: Language!!_

_Haru: what have i missed_

_Makoto ☾: SDJKVH_

_Yusuke: HARU!_

_Makoto ☾: SHE’S ALIVE!_

_Haru: ???_

_Yusuke: You haven’t texted us in like two or three days! We thought you weren’t going to be friends with us anymore. (╥_╥)  
_ _Yusuke: Makoto cried!（　´∀｀）_

_Makoto ☾: YUSUKE I WILL END YOU!_

_Yusuke: I DON’T FEAR YOU, MAKOTO!_

_Haru: why must you lie like this_

_Goro: I am intrigued, Yusuke-kun! Though I must read everything I have missed, I want to know what you mean by animatronic!_

_Yusuke: Oh, the gecko’s here! I can avoid questions!_

_Makoto ☾: Yusuke Kitagawa, avoiding the hard questions just like his crippling depression._

_Yusuke: FUCK OFFFFF 凸(ʘ言ʘ╬)_

_Makoto ☾: STOP CURSING, YUSUKE! GORO IS STILL AN INFANT!_

_Yusuke: MAKOTO HE’S PROBABLY AS OLD AS ME!_

_Goro: I am not a gecko, Yusuke-kun, even if you enjoy sending me that strange video with the many lizards eating. While very charming, I did not know they made such strange noises! Anyways, what is an animatronic?_

_Yusuke: It’s a robot. They’re machines that are programmed to move and speak, usually. A few are designed to look like human-like animals, but others are made to look like humans.  
_ _Yusuke: The short story of what I was talking about is basically a section of a huge theme park closed down, people trespassed, and there was an animatronic there. Stuff went down, and now the animatronic has been stolen. It’s a whole conspiracy._

_Goro: Interesting!_

_Haru: how did you find out about this?_

_Yusuke: I was bored between jobs and had to do something!_

_Haru: well, however you found it, i wanted to announce that i’ve sold the medal._

_Yusuke: SWEET! What should we do with the money?_

_Makoto ☾: We could go out to eat?  
_ _Makoto ☾: I know a really nice place!_

_Yusuke: I highly doubt that._

_Makoto ☾: It isn’t Big Bang Burger._

_Yusuke: I no longer highly doubt that._

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 5_  
_Thursday_  
_Daytime_  
_Buffet_

 

“And now we see the scalie outside its comfort zone, an attic, and instead in public. Truly a remarkable day for researchers. Time will only te- Ow!” Yusuke yelps as Makoto slaps him on the arm.

“Quit it! Goro’s nervous enough! He doesn’t need you making fun of him!” she scolds, though Goro blinks owlishly at her in confusion.

“Yusuke-kun was talking about me?”

Yusuke and Makoto exchange a look, Yusuke appearing smug while Makoto appeared exasperated.

They’re sitting at a rather nice table at some buffet restaurant that Makoto had been to before.

“My uncle has had a few dinners here! He’s the sort of person to make sure his old friends meet up every once in a while,” Makoto explained before they went in.

Haru eats quietly, though the food itself is stellar. She has been to buffets like this one as well, though she would never admit it.

Unlike the other buffets, though, she’s happy to be here, because the people she cares about are with her. She has people to talk to.

Ah, that reminds her…

“Are w-we going to continue as the Thieves?” she asks bluntly, taking another bite of her food as she waits for her friends to respond.

Yusuke nearly does a spit take, while Makoto chokes on her food for a few moments. Goro does not react, instead cutting up his steak, much like how Haru showed him.

The tip of his tongue pokes out as he does so, and she stifles a laugh, something he fails to notice.

Makoto is the first to speak, albeit hesitantly. “I mean… I don’t know. Are you sure we should? Kamoshida was a necessity. We had no other choice. He would’ve expelled the two of you _and_ Togo-san.”

Yusuke nodded, finally regaining his composure and letting out a small sigh.

“As much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree with Makoto. The extra money really helped me keep up with bills, but… this might have to be a one-time thing. I mean, we should do it when we absolutely have to,” Yusuke replies, eating a bit slower now. His eyebrows furrow as he continues to think, unable to keep it in as he bursts.

“But we can’t turn our backs on the people who need help! That’s a shitty thing to do!” He quiets down and apologizes to Makoto when she tells him that he’s being too loud.

An older couple passes by, grumbling to themselves as they wonder how a group of teenagers even managed to get in.

Makoto glares, but then her expression softens as she catches sight of the woman’s clothing.

“Oh, is that Niijima-brand clothing? I really love that shirt! My dad really does put his heart and soul into every design!” she chirps, watching with glee as the woman’s face turns red.

There’s a quick apology given, and the couple moves on.

Makoto smiles as she turns her attention back to the group, though her expression shifts as she settles back in to the topic at hand.

“I understand how you feel, Yusuke, but… how do we define ‘needing help?’ There are going to be people who want us to change a teacher’s heart for giving them a bad grade, or someone will want a past lover’s heart to be changed for breaking their heart! We have to gauge each situation…” Makoto trails off, looking over to Haru as she straightens her posture with a grin and whips out her phone.

“I have our n-next target…” she begins, going to the PhanSite and scrolling through the random responses to the topic before finally landing on the one of interest.

She places her phone on the table and spins it around so the two of them can read it.

“Whoa… a stalker _and_ blackmailer? Yeah, no doubt about it, we’re taking him down,” Yusuke decides with a determined grin.

“This is so creepy… we need to do something,” Makoto agrees with a smile.

Haru sighs in relief, taking her phone back and showing Goro the post, which he quickly agrees to without much fanfare.

“Then, I suppose t-the Phantom Thieves w-will stay in business,” Haru remarks with a small laugh.

The other three laugh with her, though they return to eating when Makoto realizes that they have a limited time at the place.

Goro taps Haru’s shoulder at one point.

When she checks on him, he’s rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Haru-chan, can you come with me? I need to use the bathroom, and I do not want to be alone in such a big place,” he admits, but Haru’s already standing up to go with him.

She doesn’t mind, really. She can understand his anxiety in a strange way. It’s scary to be in a new place with new people, constantly worrying if you’ll be recognized or not-

Huh.

That’s very similar to her situation right now.

Except with Goro, _everything_ is making him anxious.

She notices it as they enter an elevator to get to the restrooms, which are on the next floor.

“I do not like this small box, Haru-chan…” he tells her, though he’s noticeably more relaxed as she puts her hand on his shoulder.

“It’ll b-be alright, Goro…”

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 5_  
_Thursday_  
_Daytime_  
_Buffet_

 

It, as it turns out, is _not alright_ , and Goro doesn’t know how the _fuck_ he’s supposed to think everything will be okay.

Everything had been fine! He had gone to the strange bathroom, had stared at his own reflection for far too long, having traced his fingers over the white bandages that he and Haru had put on to hide his scales, and then had been out!

Haru had waited for him outside the bathroom, had asked him if he was alright, and yeah, _things were fantastic._

He was doing it! He was out in the public, acting as though he were properly functioning!

And then they arrived back at the small box, waiting for it to come back to their floor, and _it_ happened.

Because Goro, in his stupidity, had stood in front of the button pad, or whatever they called these panels with the up and down arrows.

That hadn’t done any good, because the next thing he knew he had been thrown to the floor by an unknown person, someone in a black suit and sunglasses that he couldn’t recognize.

There was a man surrounded by these other men in suits and sunglasses, though he did not wear black sunglasses like the rest.

Instead, he wears orange sunglasses.

The man is bald.

They make eye contact, and Goro lets out a gasp in pain as an agonizing pain crackles through his skull.

It feels as though his head is about to rip itself from his neck and leave the body to rot.

“Reeves!...” he hisses out in warning, just barely loud enough for Haru to hear him.

He can hear Haru ask, “Are you okay?” but no, he really isn’t. He’s the opposite of okay.

The man and his “guards” are gone in the next moment, but not before Bass Reeves _roars_ , a guttural thing that shakes him to his core.

He can’t move.

Bass Reeves is _furious_ , he can feel how _angry_ it is.

 _“Samael! Samael! Samael!”_ it vehemently chants, and Goro slams his hands on the floor. His entire body is buzzing with energy, something he hates, and he wants it to _stop,_ make it _stop!_

“Shut up!” he screams, and the noise stops.

All that he can hear now is his and Haru’s breathing, something that he can finally appreciate.

She’s staring at him with obvious concern, and she tentatively takes his hands into her own.

“Are y-you alright, Goro?”

He shakes his head silently, gripping on to her hands tightly.

“After this, may we please return home?” he asks cautiously, and he watches as she considers this.

She nods with a soft smile, squeezing his hands reassuringly. “Of course, Goro. L-Let’s get going, shall w-we?”

He tries smiling, but it’s more of a grimace than anything else.

 

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

 

 _May 6_  
_Friday_  
_After School  
Shūjin Academy – Rooftop_

 

“Let’s try it again, yeah? So, Ren Amamiya…” Yusuke begins, though the MetaNav lets out a negative beep.

They all groan in exasperation.

“Ren Amamiya!” Makoto tries, but she is met with the same noise.

“Does he not have a Palace or something?” Yusuke demands, throwing his hands in the air.

“No, he most definitely has a Shadow, and it is in a Palace… of sorts…” Goro suddenly speaks, having appeared from _who knows where._

Yusuke shrieks and nearly drops his phone, while Makoto has to sit down from the small fright.

Haru, meanwhile, walks over to his side with her phone.

“W-What do you mean?” she asks, and he takes her phone without really asking.

“I mean that he’s in another place… but, in order to access _any_ Palace, you must have the right name. ‘Ren Amamiya’ may very well be a pseudonym,” he explains, chewing on his lip in thought.

Haru takes back her phone and checks the post once again.

She hums, and finally texts Hifumi.

 

_Haru: is there any more information on ren amamiya?_

_Hifumi: who is this??_

_Haru:_ **_itsme.jpg_ **

_Hifumi: oh, iwai-san!!  
_ _Hifumi: okay, yeah!! i do have a bit more info, since i contacted the person w/ the request!_

_Hifumi: hes supposed to be a second year in high school, but he isn’t enrolled anywhere. according to the victim, she has met him. hes tall. blonde hair with purple tips and grey eyes. she thinks that he bleached his hair. hes also pretty artistic, apparently._

 

Haru feels her stomach drop. Ren. _Ren._ Could it be?

 

 _Hifumi: hes obsessed w/ some artist named madarame. the victim says shes also a fan w/ a blog dedicated to him… and i think thats how he found her.  
_ _Hifumi: he told her that he wants to take madarame down for some reason._

_Haru: did he have curly hair?_

_Hifumi: hm? oh, im not sure. maybe???_

_Haru: thank you, hifumi_

_Hifumi: no problem, iwai-san!!_

 

“His name i-is Ren Kurusu,” she concludes without hesitation, returning to the MetaNav with a newfound vigor.

“Ren Kurusu, blackmailer and stalker,” Haru says in to her phone, smiling as her phone chirps. Yusuke and Makoto jump back in surprise.

_Target found._

Goro smiles and takes the phone once more.

“Alright, my turn! We have our name and distortion. Now, the location. _Mementos.”_

The phone chirps in agreement, and the world distorts for a moment.

“Okay, please tell your friend who runs this website that we are going to pursue him,” Goro instructs, handing Haru her phone.

“R-Right… Where’s your p-phone, Goro?” she asks curiously as she returns to texting to Hifumi.

“Oh, back in the attic!”

She stops.

“What?”

“In the attic! I simply went into the Metaverse by myself. Unlike you all, I suppose I’m special in the sense that I do not need my phone,” he explains with a smile, though Makoto and Yusuke are _not_ smiling.

“How?!” Yusuke demands, while Makoto buries her head in her hands.

Goro shrugs innocently. “Who knows!”

Haru sighs and shakes her head. “Alright, w-whatever…”

 

 _Haru: please tell the victim that we are going to change his heart  
_ _Haru: state it clearly on the phansite_

_Hifumi: okay??_

_Haru: thank you_

 

“Done. Now w-what?” she asks, and Goro grins.

“Now, we go!”

When Haru presses the screen to enter the Metaverse, she watches as the sky turns red and pulses with black.

And then they’re on the ground, right in front of a subway station.

“Right this way, ladies and gentleman! I present to you: Mementos!” he exclaims with a smile, leading everyone down the stairs into the subway station.

To her left and right she can hear the sounds of trains coming by, but there are no trains. They stand at the boarding platform with rows of train tracks connected to it in front of them.

Goro takes keys out from his pocket, which spurs Yusuke into a small panic.

“Where did he get keys?! He can _drive?!_ The gecko can _drive?!”_ he exclaims, throwing his hands up in defeat when Goro presses a button and a car beep echoes off in the distance.

“Mementos is known as the Palace of the public. This is where we will encounter those who have not yet reached the level of distortion that would warrant a Palace. I did a bit of reconnaissance work the other day and have found that there is a seal down a few floors,” Goro explains, fearlessly jumping from the boarding platform and running off into the darkness of the winding tracks.

“I can’t believe it, Ace is fucking dead,” Yusuke deadpans after a few minutes, though he jumps up when the sound of a car’s engine echoes through the tunnel.

Moments later, a black and red Volkswagen bus pulls in to view with its headlights shining in their faces.

The bus stops and Goro pokes his head out, honking the horn.

“Say hello to the Phantom Bus! Please, get in!” he calls with a smile, and they really have no other choice but to listen.

Haru takes the passenger seat, while Yusuke and Makoto sit in the back.

“We are searching for Ren Kurusu, yes? Hm… it appears that he is on the floor below us. Jester, what is our plan of action?”

Haru straightens out, humming in thought. “H-Head straight for Ren. W-We don’t want to s-spend too long.”

Goro nods and shifts the bus into reverse before righting the car and driving through the first two floors of Mementos.

It only takes about fifteen minutes to get to Ren, and they stare in awe at the vortex before them, twisting rails and roaring winds with a ruby red eye of the storm that dares them to enter.

“This is it. Is everyone ready?” Goro asks, taking the words right out of Haru’s mouth. She doesn’t mind, just one less sentence to trip over. She nods along with the other two.

He slams his foot down on the gas pedal, speeding through the storm.

The Phantom Bus lands on the other side of the storm in mere moments, though Goro does make a few maneuvers to ensure a safe landing.

Haru steps out first, uncharacteristically confident as she does so. Yusuke and Makoto are next, though Yusuke is noticeably more energetic than before.

“You know, Goro, I didn’t think it’d be a good idea to have you drive, and now I know for a fact that you _definitely_ shouldn’t drive!” Yusuke chirps with his hands on his hips. Haru shrugs, but Makoto shakes her head.

“I’m definitely not driving that thing, and I know for a fact that _you_ still haven’t gotten your license. Haru… she really doesn’t seem like the sort of person to have her license…” Makoto trails off, gazing at her expectantly. Haru lets out a cough.

“I-It’s true, but you s-shouldn’t say it…” Haru mumbles with a blush.

Makoto smiles, shrugging. “Maybe so, but it only proves my point! Goro is the best suited for the job.”

“Ladies and gentleman, I believe that there aremore pressing matters to attend to,” Goro announces, motioning towards a figure a few meters away.

Haru watches the figure, her view unclear from her vantage point.

It appears to watch them all, slowly wrapping its arms around itself.

Haru motions for the others to follow her as she walks towards the figure.

Coming in closer, she finds that he matches Hifumi’s description of Ren, though his eyes are a bright yellow, and he’s surrounded by black and red tendrils.

The Shadow tilts his head, though his expression remains neutral.

“Who are you?” the Shadow whispers, fiddling with one of his many piercings, at least from what Haru can see.

“Vertical labret, a ring for the nostril, and then about three for his left ear and two for his right. He’s actually kinda like me in that sense… but that’s it,” Yusuke remarks, and Haru realizes that she said that out loud.

“We’re here to steal your heart, Ren Kurusu,” Makoto announces, and instantly Ren scowls and the tendrils seize around him.

“What do you mean? I am doing what must be done!” he hisses, and then recognition flashes across his face. “Oh, you all are those Phantom Thieves, right? The ones who took down that gym teacher from Shūjin. You know, the people around me didn’t believe, but I did. I saw a group of children trying to govern justice the way they wished.”

“So, we’re just like you, then,” Yusuke concludes, watching as Ren’s body seizes with the tendrils around him. He throws his head back and his arms, formerly wrapped around his chest, now fly into the air.

His upper body bends back before finally snapping back into place.

“You kno҉w̡͜n̛othi͝ng,͢ýou ̨insign̴i͟fic̕ant ̕͏s̶p͡eck̀ of̢͡ du͢s̵t̕!” Ren’s voice is distorted, and his body bends unnaturally as he tries to bring his emotions back under control. “I am d̛oin͜ģ w͢ha̡t͟͡ m͝u̴st͘ b͡e͜do̴ne! ̢I am̧̧ th̷e͘ jud̵ge̡,̛ jưr͟y͠, ͢a̵nd͞ exe̕cu̵t҉ion̸e͟r͡! ͢I ̸w̛i͝ll̛r͘e͟b̢ui̶l͠d ͜t̢h̶is̷ wor̸ĺd w̧i̶th͘ơùt́ t̶h͏at̢  _d͢i̴sgus̵tin͝g̴_ m̡án͞͝ l̸eadi̧ng ̷the̸ a̛r͝tiśt̸i͠c̵ wo̕r҉ld͏!”

“And how are you going to do that, huh? You’re hurting innocent people, Ren!” Yusuke shoots back, something that Ren does _not_ like at all.

“Th̢ey a̛r̢è not f̸u͘ck̷i͡ng ͘įnnóce̸n̵t͝!͢” Ren screeches, holding his head and trembling. “I will ͞r̸u̢i͘ń̴ h̶i̷m͟ f̶or̨͟ e̕ver̢yt̕hiņg̵̡ h̵e̸ h̡a͝s d̕on͜ȩ̶ to ̵m͟e̢!̧”

Finally, Ren’s voice is clear as his body straightens out. “And I will kill you for getting in my way.”

Ren’s body unravels, quite literally. It’s almost like he’s made of ribbons as he unravels from his head to his feet.

In Ren’s place is a small black demon with red eyes and a large grin. It’s almost comical how cute the demon is, actually. It has little shoes and a jester’s hat.

Haru is flattered, really.

It doesn’t take very long for them to defeat Ren’s Shadow, though when they do, Ren replaces the demon in a flash of light.

He falls to his knees, having lost his balance, and Haru crouches down to his eye level.

Ren looks up at her in silence, and she gives him a reaffirming smile.

“I-It’s alright, Ren. You n-need to pay for w-what you have done, but y-you’re going to get better, right?” she asks, and he nods. He sits up, wiping tears away with the heel of his hand.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… I… I just couldn’t take it. Madarame ruined my life, he took everything from me when he kicked me out…” Ren realizes something, and he clutches on to Haru’s hand, something the others don’t exactly trust, but she puts up her other hand to stop them.

“W-What do you need to tell me?” she asks patiently, and he bites his lip.

“My brother. His name is Akira. Please, I’m begging you, please, _please_ save him. You can’t let Madarame ruin him too. Akira was always so obedient, and now… now he chooses to be mute, and it’s all because I didn’t stay there, because I fought back, _please_ , please help my brother-“ Ren breaks down into hysterics within mere seconds, and Haru squeezes his hand comfortingly.

“W-We’re going to save him,” she assures, “I promise. Now, r-return to the real world and repent f-for what you’ve done.”

Ren slowly nods and stands with her. He gives her a grateful smile as a white light surrounds his form.

"Thank you. I won't forget this."

And then, he’s gone, leaving a small, solitary light by itself.

When Haru grabs it, she finds that she’s holding a photo that’s at least a decade old.

A set of twins stand in the forefront, with an older man standing behind them. She recognizes the twins as Akira and Ren, and assumes that the old man must be Madarame.

Her gaze shifts from the photograph to her three teammates and decides to show it to them. The others stare at it for a few moments, and Goro quietly explains that the Shadows they fight will have smaller Treasures, and collecting them will prevent Palace formations.

Their focus returns to her, and she grins.

“I believe t-that we have found our n-next target…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zinnias represent remembrance. With Haru’s mother finally coming back into Haru’s mind, I thought it would be fitting to dedicate the chapter name to this event.
> 
> Welcome to the intermission! With Golden Week, Haru gets around a week off! But… We get a look into Haru’s mind in the process. And owo what’s this? Iwai showing Haru that he cares through her way instead of his usual way? Wow!  
> Also, listen to T. Rex! They’re really good! Also, uh, yeah. 70s music may or may not sort of play a role in this fic, but not too big. Haru’s mom was a big fan. Their relationship is going to be fun to further develop as these chapters go on.
> 
> Since I write some of these notes in advance, this may be goodbye for a while. I have no idea when this will be published. I write this fic on my school laptop, and during the summer I have to turn it in. While this is normally where my fics go to die, I’m going to be sure to probably play through P5 once more in NG+ mode to keep my love alive. I adore this game, and I want to make an amazing fic to express this love. Thank you all again for staying around, and hopefully this won’t be goodbye.  
> I’ll be going on a two-and-a-half-month break. Next time a chapter comes out, I’m going to be a senior! WEEEEIRD! I’m planning on coming back with a double-chapter update. 
> 
>  
> 
> OPAD will most definitely be back by September, so I look forward to seeing everyone when the time comes!
> 
> If you're interested, please check out the Discord server! Even though I'm going on hiatus, I'm going to stay active on here.  
> The link is here: https://discord.gg/m2vnwTU
> 
> Thank you all so much for the support, and I can't wait to see you all soon!
> 
> Until then, see ya!


End file.
